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EAST HARTFORD: 



Its History and Traditions. 



BY 



JOSEPH O. GOODWIN. 



HARTFORD: 

PRESS OF THE CASE, LOCKWOOD & BRAINARD CO. 
1879. 



^"^"^^f. 

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COPYRIGHTED BY 

JOSEPH 0. GOODWIN, 
1879. 

13 2> ^v? 



CONTENTS 



Preface, 
Description. — 1 879, 



CHAPTER I.— THE INDIANS. 

The River Tribes. — The Podunks. — Places of living. — Fort Hill. — Burial 
Places. — Offer inducements to settlers. — Lieut. Holmes. — Assist starv- 
ing settlers. — Their villages. — Restricted by the Whites ; laws regard- 
ing them. — Quarrel with Sequassen. — John Eliot. — To return to 
Podunk. — Podunk lands in controversy. — Deeds to Thomas Bum- 
ham. — Podunks unsettled. — Trouble with Uncas. — Adjustment of 
bounds with Mohegans. — -Sowgonosk marries Joshua. — Joshua's 
gifts of land. — The Five Miles. — Podunks join Philip. — Apprehen- 
sions and alarms. — Fortification, 1675. — William Hill shot. — Gar- 
risons ordered. — Menowniet. — Cohause, a "child of death." — Trill 
and Wood. — Remnant of Podunks. — Four houses fortified, 1704. 
— Decay of Podunk tribe. — BulFs servant. — Stealing cider. — Stories 
of Indians. — Last of the tribe, 17 

CHAPTER IL— EARLY OCCUPANCY.— 1635-1666. 

Settlements on the river. — Association. — Indian deeds. — Charter. — Pro- 
prietors &c. — Lands. — Bounds. — Division and grants of lands. — 
Fence. — Division of upland, 38 

CHAPTER IIL— SETTLERS AND INHABITANTS.— 1648-1800. 
Growth. — Settlers, names of — Inventory, Richard Risley, . . 48 



iv HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 

CHAPTER IV.— EARLY HISTORY.— Continued.— 1670-1774. 

Main Street. — Bounds extended five miles. — Garrisons. — Bounds with 
Windsor. — Pounds. — East-side ofRcers. — First meeting house. — 
Hockanum Bridge. — Progress of the settlement, 1700 — Forts, 1704. 

— Names of residents. — The Five Miles. — Burial place. — Public 
houses. — Line between the Three and the Five Miles. — Bolton line. — 
Draining " Eason's Hollow." — Divident lines of lots. — Lister this 
side. — Sign-posts or "whipping-posts." — French war, names of 
our company to Crown Point. — Neutral French. — Glastonbury line. 

— Preaching in Five Miles. — Line of Orford Parish, . . 68 

CHAPTER v.— DURING THE REVOLUTION.— 1770-1783. 

Our town no suburb. — Hartford votes. — Company for Boston, 1775. — 
Exploit of Gideon Olmsted. — Names of soldiers. — Battalion in 
Hartford. — Soldiers provided for. — Prisoners of war. — Confedera- 
tion. — Embargoed provisions. — Bounties. — Men in service, and 
drafts.— The debt.— Distrust, 81 

CHAPTER VI.— THE FRENCH ENCAMPMENT. 

Rochambeau and Washington meet here. — Barbecues. — A gay time, etc. 

— Silver Lane. — Boats impressed. — Lafayette's tour, 1824, . 88 

CHAPTER VH.— TOWN HISTORY. 

Town privileges asked. — Petitions. — Town incorporated. — Bounds. — 
First meeting. — Officers. — Accounts with Hartford. — Guns sold. — 
Meetings in Orford Parish and in meeting houses. Manner of vot- 
ing.— Town officers, 1784-1878, 92 

CHAPTER Vm.— THE TOWN'S POOR. 

Division with Hartford. — House for. — House sold, and poor let out. — 
A new house. — Burned. — " Out-door poor," .... 102 

CHAPTER IX.— PEST HOUSE AND INOCULATION. 

House built 1761.— Inoculation set up 1791.— Private house. — Privilege 
taken away. — Hospital described, and methods, . . . 104 

CHAPTER X.— PUBLIC HOUSES AND SALE OF LIQUORS. 

Ordinaries. — Abuse in resorting to. — Sadler's ordinary. — Philip Smith's 
public house. — Thomas Olcott's. — Wells's tavern.— President Mon- 
roe. — Phelps's tavern. — Lafayette. — Daniel Pitkin's. — John P. 
Jones's. — Joseph P. Jones's. — Cotton's. — Other taverns. — A myste- 
rious disappearance. — Sale of liquors regulated. — "Old red store." 
Pitkin's store. — John Cotton's store, 107 



CONTENTS. V 

CHAPTER XL— BURYING GROUNDS. 

First yard. — Additions, and votes. — Description. — Spencer street yard. — 
Soutli Burying Ground. — South Middle. — In Burnside, not laid out. 

— Isolated graves. — Funeral customs and appointments. — Sextons; 
some odd characters. — The Phelps family, . . . .114 

CHAPTER XII.— ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 
The Puritans. — Early confederation. — William Pitkin's complaint. — 
First society, 1694. — Reluctants. — Meeting house, 1699.— ^Rev. Mr. 
Rood. — Rev. Samuel Woodbridge. — Minister's house. — Salary, etc. 

— A colleague. — First meeting house described. — Second meeting 
house described. — " Dignifying " it. — To be colored. — Steeple, not 
built. — A stove. — Further description. — The psalmody. — "Digni- 
fying." — "Advice to the next seaters." — Rev. Dr. Williams. — Anec- 
dotes of, and characteristics. — His house. — His sermons. — Rev. 
Andrew Yates. — Among the children. — A temperance advocate. — 
Rev. Joy H. Fairchild. — Rev. Asa Mead, died here. — Rev. Dr. 
Samuel Spring. — Rev. Theodore J. Holmes. — Mr. F. H. Buffum. — 
Mr. Richard Meredith. — Salaries. — Preaching in Five Miles. — First 
Society, first so-called, 1784. — Sunday ferry. — Third meeting house. 

— New bell and tower clock. — Material of old house. — A center at 
old meeting house. — Noonings. — Coming to meeting. — The old 
site, 123 

Othek Societies. — The Baptists and Methodists. — Spencer street 
Methodists. — Thomas Sj^encer. — Hockanum Methodists. — Burnside 
Methodists. — St. John's Parish, once Grace church. — St. Mary's 
church. — Hockanum Ecclesiastical Society, .... 145 

CHAPTER XIIL— PARISH OF ORFORD. 

Its territory purchased, etc. — 200 acres for the minister. — To be divided. 
— Taken possession of. — To be laid out. — Grant to Burnham and 
Williams. — First division, 1731. — Line between the three mile lots 
and the Five Miles. — Encroachments. — A further division. — Settlers. 

— School. — A Parish in 1773. — Line with old society. — Wants to 
be a town, 1812. — Town meeting in, 1813. — Made town of Man- 
chester, 1823, 149 

CHAPTER XIV.— INDUSTRIES. 
Saw Mill River, or Hockanum. — Early Mills at Burnside and eastward. 

— On Hop Brook. — At Burnside. — Story of Bidwell's sleep. — 
Fulling mills. — Copper Mines. — Iron slitting. — Powder making. — 
Snuflf. — Guns cast. — Paper mills in Orford. — A lottery. — Glass 
working. — Another lottery. — Silk culture. — Paper mills in Scot- 
land. — Cotton mill in Buckland. — Other mills. — Oil mills. — Nail 
Cutting. — Hat making. — Other mills. — Willow Brook. Other mills 
and industries. — A " shoddy " mill, 154 



Vi HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 

CHAPTER XV.— SCHOOLS. 

Early provisions. — First scliool tliis side, 1708. — Two schools here.— 
Story of the "Goose pond." — One teacher only. — How supported. — 
School in Scotland. — In Hockanum. — School Society Fund. — 
School in the Five Miles. — Near the meeting house. — North of Gil- 
man's Brook. — Four schools on Main street. — One in Scotland. — 
Near the Olcott's.— On "Jamstone Plain."— At "Hillstown"? etc. 

— Money divided. — Old houses on Main street divided. — South and 
Second South districts formed. — School districts formed by law. — 
New district, South-east. — Scotland district extended east. — Three 
districts north of Hockanum river. — The Center, and its school 
house. — The Second North and its houses. — The North and its 
house. — The Meadow district. — The School Society. — School Fund. 

— Long Hill District.— North district changed. — Scotland school 
house, and division of the district. — Named Burnside. — Hockanum 
district. — South Middle district. — Bounds of districts. — Present 
support of schools. — Tow^n Deposit Fund. — " The Academy." — 
Other private schools, .164 

CHAPTER XVI.— ROADS, BRIDGES, AND FERRIES. 

Early roads. — To Windsor. — To Thomas Bumham's. — To Burnside. — 
Road on Meadow Hill. — Bridges, 1663. — Main street. — Highway 
near Willow brook. — North Meadow road. — Gilbert's Island, and 
landing place. — Hockanum Bridge. — North Prospect street. — Bum- 
side avenue. — " Bear Swamp." — From mills toward Bolton. — Silver 
Lane. — North of Gilman's brook. — Along Windsor line. — Brewer 
lane.^ " New road " in Podunk. — To Pratt's, Ferry. — South Mead- 
ow road. — New London turnpike. — Other roads.— Burnham road 
made public. — Tolland turnpike. — Middle turnpike. — Ellington 
road. — Other roads. — Ferries. — Repair of roads. — Sewers. — By- 
laws de highways and sidewalks, and bathing. — Plank walks, 175 

CHAPTER XVn.— THE STREET ELMS. 
Traditions concerning, 193 

CHAPTER XVIII.— HARTFORD FERRY AND BRIDGE. 

First ferry. — Fares. — Money from for schools, etc. — One-half the ferry 
given to East Hartford, 1783. — Two ferries. — Bridge Company. — 
Differences, and ferry suppressed. — Free bridge wanted, . 194 



CONTENTS. vii 

CHAPTER XIX.— MILITARY AFFAIRS. 

To traiu east side.— Training days, and grounds. — Companies and com- 
manders. — Higher officers of our town. — Vote de standard, etc. — 
The artillery company. — Its guns. — Commanders. — Higher officers. 

— Grand reviews, etc. — The loar of 1812: — A draft. — The artillery in 
it. — List of members, and pay-roll. — Reminiscences. — Privateering. 

— Effect of draft on home troops, 198 

The Wak of the Rebellion. — Equipment of troops, bounties, etc. — 

Town bonds. — Drafts and quotas. — Statistics. — Monument. — Mem- 
orial Day.— List of Volunteers, 1861 to 1865, .... 205 

CHAPTER XX.— OLD HOUSES. 

First houses. — Old fashioned houses described. — Earliest in town, 
names of owners, etc. — Other old houses, some standing, and occu- 
pants, .... 212 

CHAPTER XXL— THE PITKIN FAMILY. 

A noted race. — Names of prominent members, and sketches of them. — 
Governor William, 225 

CHAPTER XXIL— CUSTOMS AND LAWS. 

Early government. — Punishments. — Church membership. — Bachelors 
not tolerated. — Strangers not entertained. — Labor, price regulated. 

— Excess in apparel forbidden. — Lecture day. — Sunday travel. — 
Guards at meetings. — Arms. — Early rising. — Town crier. — Black 
birds and wolves. — Inhabitants to be admitted. — Freemen, obliged 
to attend meetings. — Townsmen. — Slaves, curious records. — " Old 
Flo'." — Old Sylvia. — Matilda Scott. — Vehicles. — Chaises, etc. — 
Tobacco. — Household arts. — Bad boys. — A case of witchcraft. — 
Causeway haunted, ,231 

ADDENDA.— The Review of 1843.— The " Gulf," a correction, . 241 

INDEX, 343 



PREFACE 



"When the writer began, some ten years ago, to interest 
himself in the history of his native town, he had no idea that 
his researches Avould ever attain to the dignity of a printed 
volume. But, led beyond his original intent l;»y the opportu- 
nities which the custody of the town records gave him, he has 
extended his inquiry to the records of the "• ancient town of 
Hartford," and to the records and files of the State, and found 
so much that was new and interesting to him, that he would 
fain communicate something of his own gratification to his 
fellow-townsmen. And, indeed, nothing has more incited him 
to pursue his work, — often almost a burden when added to 
other pressing cares, — than the constant expressions of inter- 
est and approval that have met him on everj^ side since the read- 
ing of his paper on our town history in Elm Hall last winter. 
He is confident that something of interest will be found in the 
following pages for all to whom the past takes on a mellower 
tinge with its added years, and feels that he need make no 
apology for its publication. 

Not the least pleasant of the experiences of the compiler of 
local history is the hunt for local traditions and reminiscences, 
those bits of sentient history that are the property of the fire- 
side rather than the public, and which lead us, so to speak, 
behind the dignified front which each generation presents to 
its successors in its business records. The true flavor of these 
fireside talks cannot be given upon a printed page, and the 
author suspects that the public will not know all the pleasures 
which his inquiries have afforded him. Among those whom 
he has " interviewed " with much profit to himself and much 
gain to his history are, Mr. Timothy Doming, — whose well- 
stored memory was clear and active until his death in his 
ninety-third year, Aug. 14, 1879, — Mr. Chauncey Lester, Mr. 

9 



X PREFACE. 

Allen Wadsworth, Mr. Thomas Burnham, Miss Martha Rob- 
erts, Mr. Thomas Dowd, Mr. Aaroii G. Olmsted, Dr. Henry 
K. Olmsted, genealogist of the Olmsted family, Mr. Agis 
Easton, Mr. William M. Stanley, Mr. Walter A. Riley, and 
many others. The genealogical papers of the late Capt. 
Charles H. Olmsted have been serviceable in many ways. 

The documents and authorities upon which the main liody 
of this history rests are, DcForest's History of the Indians 
of Connecticut, the printed volumes of the Colonial Records 
of this State, together with the many manuscript volumes and 
files of the State library, and of the Town Clerk's office in the 
towns of Hartford and East Hartford. To Mr. Charles J. 
Hoadly, the State librarian, the author is indebted for valu- 
able assistance, and to Mr. Walter A. Riley, whose familiarity 
Avith the records of our town, and whose independent re- 
searches have made him an authority in local antiquarian 
matters. Most of the references to houses arird house sites 
may be verified upon the maps of the " Atlas of Hartford City 
and County ; Baker & Tilden, 1869." 

Some roads as frequently spoken of are as follows : South 
Meadow road is the first road running to the Connecticut 
River from Main street, north of the Hockanum ; Mill street 
runs west from the Post Office ; below the meadow hill it is 
known as the North Meadow road. Prospect street runs along 
the meadow hill north from the last named road, and east 
until it ends on Main street. Orchard street runs between 
Prospect and Main streets ; its eastern end is nearly opposite 
Burnside avenue. The latter is the main traveled way to the 
eastward from Main street. Silver lane is the first road run- 
ning east, south of the Hockanum. " Tobacco avenue " runs 
south from Silver lane and ends on Main street. 

The author has been obliged to repel all temptations to gen- 
ealogical study in his volume, and to relegate that sort of 
work to the members of the diiferent families. That his work 
might be helpful to such inquiries, he has been careful to give 
most of the names associated with our earlier history. 

In regard to any errors that may be found in this volume, 
the author wishes to say that he will be glad to be notified of 



PEEPACE. XI 

them, that a corrected copy may be preserved, to be re-])ub- 
lislied, perhaps, at some future day. For anythhig that will 
add to a fuller knowledge of our town history, or of the people 
who helped to make it, he will also be grateful, meaning not 
to let his interest abate, although his work has, as it were, 
passed out of his hands. 

For warm sympathy in his work and for cordial material 
aid, without which his history could not l)e published at this 
time, the author is indebted to the following persons : 

Albert C. Raymond, Mrs. Edwaixl S. Goodwin, 

Ralph G. Spencer, Henry R. Hayden, 

Aaron G. Olmsted, Henry K. Olmsted, M.D., 

Henry L. Goodwin, George W. Pratt, 

William M. Stanley, Francis Hanmer, 

Ira T. Roberts, Alfred Kilbourne, 
Edward 0. Goodwin. 

East Hartford, Conn,, Sept. 1879. 

JOSEPH OLCOTT GOODWIN. 



DESCRIPTIOISr-18T0. 



The town of East Hartford is bounded north by the town of 
South Windsor, east hj Mancliestcr, south by Glastonbury, 
and west l)y Connecticut River. It lias a population of about 
3,000 souls. A good map of the town may be found in Baker 
& Tilden's Atlas of Hartford County, jaiblished in 1869, and 
to it references may be made in i-eading the descri})tive parts 
of this volume. 

The town covers a territory of about five miles in extent, 
north and south, and about three and a half miles, east and 
west, including the meadows. It geographical center is a point 
a little east of the house of George W. Pratt, Esq., on Silver 
lane. It is divided into ten school districts, two of which are 
joint districts — one including a section of South Windsor, and 
one a section of Manchester. 

Main street runs through the town from north to south, 
with substantial dwellings, and good farms along its entire 
length. For miles it is grandly shaded by immense elms, and 
other trees. Two highways and the Bridge road connect 
Main street with Hartford, by means of the Hartford Bridge 
Company's bridge ; and two important highways connect it 
with Burnside and Manchester. Other highways give commu- 
nication to other parts of this and contiguous towns. The New 
York & New England Railroad crosses the town east and 
west, with a station on Main street and one at Burnside. The 
Connecticut Central Railroad enters the town near the center 
of its northern boundary and makes a junction with the New 
York & New England road at its station on Main street. 
This road has a station, " Burnham's," close to the South 
Windsor town line. 

In 1866 a horse railroad company was chartered to connect 
Burnside and Glastonbury with Hartford, but the project is. 



DESCRIPTION — 1879. xiii 

at least temporarily, abandoned. Omnibuses make two trips 
daily from Bnrnside to Hartford, and fonr trips from the Cen- 
ter to Hartford. The mail wagon from Glastonbury passes 
througli Hockanum and the Center to Hartford, and returns, 
daily. 

East Hartford is remai'kably level in its to})ography. The 
meadows lie along the Great River, like a vast park. They 
are about a half mile in width, and, interrupted only by a 
stretch of higher ground below the mouth of the Hockamun, 
extend the whole length of the town. They are annually 
flooded by the spring freshets, and yield alnindant crops of 
hay Avithout fertilizing. On the east these meadows are 
bounded by the Meadow Hill, a rise of fifteen or twenty feet 
to the upland. Excepting a few slight elevations, as at tlie 
Center Burying Ground and elsewhere, there are no notice- 
able hills in the town, save near its eastern and northern bor- 
ders. Spencer Hill, southeast of Bnrnside, is a beautiful 
rounded knoll, from whi(;h a fine view may be had. North of 
it lie Great Hills, covered with forest ; while still farther 
north, and across the Hockanum, Long Hill stretches its gen- 
tle cultivated slopes into South Windsor. In Podunk (North 
District) rises -' Pirate Hill," probably named after some fable 
of Kidd and his treasures, and north of it several other mod- 
erate eminences. The aral)le lands are light and dry, and re- 
markably free from stone. A hidden ledge of rocks forms 
the falls at Bnrnside and extends lieneath the surface south- 
erly through the town. Some rough quarrying has been done 
on this ledge. 

The Hockanum (V)y some called Solomon's) River enters 
the town from the east, furnishing power for the powder mills, 
and for the paper mills at Bnrnside. Between Bnrnside and 
the Connecticut the river has worn a valley a quarter of a 
mile or so wide, with irregularly projecting hillsides. This 
valley is flooded every spring by high water from the Connec- 
ticut, and makes a good pasturage in summer. A number of 
brooks cross the town from east to west, running at the bot- 
tom of their little valleys, and pleasantly interrupting the level 
of the landscape. Talcott Mountain on the west, and the Bol- 



Xiv DESCRIPTION — 1879. 

ton range on the east, are prominently in sight from ahnost 
any point in town, while from some places may be seen Monnt 
Tom and Holyoke in the north, and the Strait Hills below 
Middletown, and the Meriden mountains in the south. 



East Hartford Center has three churches, Congregational, 
Episcopal, and Roman Catholic. In the basement of the 
Congregational church the town meetings are held. Here, 
also, are two general stores and the East Hartford post-office ; 
two meat markets, two harness shops, a blacksmith's shop, a 
tin shop, a livery stal)le, four tobacco warehouses, a lumlier 
yard, two florists' gardens, manufactories of patent seed-sowers 
and weeders, of knife straps, of silver spoons, etc. 

BuRNSiDE (formerly Scotland*) village lies aliout two miles 
east of Main street. It has one church, Methodist Episcopal. 
Here are three large paper mills on the Hockanum, the upper 
one owned by F. R. Walker & Co., the " middle mill " by the 
East Hartford Manufacturing Company, the lower mill, on 
the old grist mill site, by The Hanmer & Forbes Company. 
These mills are kept constantly busy with their orders, and 
have each won a reputation for fine goods, the first for news- 
papers, the second for fine writing papers, the last for manilla 
and envelope papers. Near the east town line are the powder 
mills, now owned by the Hazard Powder Company, of Enfield. 
These have been idle since the last war. In Burnside are 
also two general stores and the Burnside post-office, a black- 
smith's shop, a wagon shop, etc. 

In Willow Brook (Second South District,) there are three 
general stores, a coal yard, a blacksmith's shop, a wagon shop, 
two tol)acco warehouses, etc. 

*The name of Scotland was changed to Burnside in 1862, when it was 
made a post station, as there was already one Scotland in the State. The 
name was chosen because of its Scotch derivation, signifying a hum's side, 
and was the suggestion of Miss Susan Goodwin. Its former name of 
Scotland was given it by the Forbes settlers, who were of Scotch antecedents. 



DESCRIPTION — 1879. xy 

In HocKANUM (South District) there are two chiirclies, 
Congregational and Methodist Episcopal. There are two 
general stores, a post-olTice (Hockanuni), a tol)acco warehouse, 
a grist mill on Pewter Pot Brook, etc. Many alewives and 
shad are caught here in nets during the spring freshets. 

The Meadow District lies along the Connecticut river, and 
has (juite a populous village. Here is Morse's Hotel, two 
general stores, a provender store, lumber yard, marble cutting- 
works, a carriage shop, blacksmith's shop, tin shop, ice 
houses, etc. 

The Southeast district is sometimes called Hillstown. 
Farming is its chief industry. 

The various industries we have named are, with a few ex- 
ceptions, merely accessory to the principal occupation of the 
people, which is farming, the raising of fruits and produce for 
the Plartford markets, and the culture of tobacco. This town 
is one of the largest tobacco growing towns in New England. 

The town has no parks or public grounds, unless the un- 
kempt plot north of the Hockanum causeway, on which the 
old meeting house stood, may be called so. But Mr. Albert 
C. Raymond has lately given to the Village Improvement 
Society (chartered in January, 1879, though organized two or 
three years earlier), in trust, a plot of ground on the corner of 
Main street and Central avenue, for a site for a public library 
and park. This it is hoi>ed will be laid out and kept in a 
manner wortliy of the generous spirit in which it was given. 
Mr. Raymond has also provided a munificent fund with which 
the library building is to be built, furnished with books and 
permanently maintained. 



INDIAIS'S 



CHAPTER I. 

1631-1793. 

When first the Connecticut Valley became known to the 
white men, it was inhabited by what were known as the River 
Tribes, — a nmnber of small clans of Indians living along the 
Great River and its tributaries. Of these tribes the Podunks 
occupied territory now lying in the towns of East Hartford 
and Houth Windsor, and numbered, by differing estimates, 
from sixty to two hundred bowmen. They were governed 
by two sachems, Waginacut and Arramamet, and were con- 
nected in some way with the Indians who lived across the 
(h-eat River, in Windsor. This is evident from the fact that 
when the land lietween the Scantic and the Podunk rivers was 
sold to the English, Arramamet signed the deed with ten 
others, among whom were Sheat and Cogrenossett of Po(|uon- 
noc in Windsor; and in 1637, Arramamet and other Indians 
complained to the General Court, alleging that Lieut. Holmes 
had denied them the planting of the old ground about Ply- 
mouth House' in Windsor. 

One of the principal places of habitation of the Podunks 
was near the mouth of the little river, l)y them called Podunk. 
Land in this neighborhood was occupied by the Indians after 
tlie English settled here, and was reserved to them by the 
General Court for many years. There are also abundant traces 
of their former presence all along the meadow bank ; while 
the highlands bordering the valley of the Hockanum have been 
found especially rich in their implements of flint and stone. 

The Indians built their slight summer lodges near the Great 
river, living sumptuously upon the swarming shad and salmon, 
and lampreys in their season, and finding an easy prey in the 
3 



18 HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 

deer that sought the luxuriant feeding ground of the meadows ; 
while the rich alluvium gave them maize and beans in response 
to their rude tillage. For clothing they hunted the otter, the 
mink, and beaver, covering their wigwams, perchance, with 
coarser peltries of deer, wolf, and bear, before the white 
traders came to beguile them of these luxuries. 

The winter habitations of the Podunks were farther inland, 
along the warm valley brooks, in the deep recesses of the 
woods. To these they retired when autumn let loose his blasts 
adown the broad river valley, threatening to lock their fisheries 
beneath the ice. Here they re})atched their sheltered lodges 
with skins and bark and reeds, and in the bland " Indian sum- 
mer" conducted their big hunts, over ground familiar to every 
boy within our borders who owns a gun, afterwards drying 
their venison and bear meat for their winter's sustenance. 

In troublesome times they built their forts of stout posts, or 
palisades, and gathered into closer habitations, leaving a 
central space in the village for a camp fire, about which to 
celebrate their wild and varied ceremonies. Traces of such 
an enclosure still remain in Goodwin's pasture, one-fourth of 
a mile east of the post-office — the steep hillside having been its 
defence and outlook on three sides, and an embankment and 
palisades upon the north. This neighborhood has been found 
rich in stone and flint relics, and a tradition of a large stone 
buried in the center of the hill remains, although no one has 
as yet been able to find it. The place to-day bears the name 
of ''Fort Hill," and is probably the fort to which "one-eyed" 
Tantinomo withdrew at the time of his quarrel with Uncas and 
Sequassen in 1665, when the English so unsuccessfully at- 
tempted arbitration between them. 

Of an Indian burial place discovered on the highland south 
of Podunk brook and just west of Main street. Barber (Conn. 
Hist. Coll.) gives us some particulars. 

It was situated, the account says, about half way between 
their summer quarters by the Great River and their inland 
village. Skeletons were exhumed here a few years ago by 
digging from one to four feet below the surface. These indi- 
cated that the bodies had been laid on their sides, with their 



INDIANS. 19 

heads toward the south, the knees drawn up to the breast, the 
arms folded. Remains of blankets and bark coverings were 
found, and, in one instance, a small brass kettle and hatchet, 
well preserved. A gun barrel and lock, a number of glass 
bottles, one half-full of liqiud of some sort, a pair of shears, a 
pistol, leaden pipes for tobacco, strings of wampum, small 
brass rings, and glass beads were also found. The skeleton 
of a woman was dug up, and with it a brass comb, with the 
hair still preserved about it. Most of the articles found had 
probably been ol)tained from the Dutch (whose trading house 
was set up on Dutch Point in Hartford, before the coming of 
the Englishmen), and are preserved in the rooms of the Hart- 
ford Historical Society. 

It seems strange that so few articles of Indian manufacture 
are named among the articles found on this site, for remains 
of stone and flint are not lacking. I have several arrow-heads, 
etc., picked up here by Mr. Alfred E. Kilbourne and myself, 
during a visit to the place. 

Another burial place of the Indians lies on the bank of the 
Connecticut in South Windsor. This I visited with Messrs. 
Kilbourne and William Andrus in 1877, and we found frag- 
ments of coarse pottery, flints, and bones beneath the caving 
bank. The bones were arm or leg-bones, very friable, and 
perished with the handling. 

Other burial places no doubt exist. Human bones have 
been dug up in the brick-yard near Colt's Ferry, and parts of 
a skeleton were unearthed while digging the sewer on Main 
street, at the head of Orchard street, although neither of the 
latter were safely referable to the Indians. 

From the beginning of their contact with the whites, the 
history of the Podunks is one in common with that of all the 
North American tribes, — a gradual deterioration in all the 
simple and robust characteristics that mark an aboriginal 
people, ending at last in their total decay and final disappear- 
ance. And so slight a hold had they upon the soil, that the 
farmer's boy might well regard the story of their occupancy 
as but a tale of the old witch-haunted times, did not his 
polished hoe click occasionally against the clumsy implements 



20 HISTORY OP EAST HARTFORD. 

of an earlier husbandry, on rare days when he is afield, giving 
him a subtle sense of the wonderful interval that separates 
his own life from that to which such rude appliances admin- 
istered years ago. 

But whatever may be said of the violent change wrought 
by the white man's coming, it hardly becomes us who owe so 
much to it to shed any but sentimental tears. Indeed, we 
may console ourselves with the thought that the white man 
was no unwelcome intruder here. The tribes of this neigh- 
borhood had in themselves but little integral strength, and no 
certain ties of alliance with each other. In a quarrel with 
the l*equots they had been driven from their lands. Home- 
less and in extremity, they sought the protection of the 
English, who would make powerful allies if they could be 
induced to settle on the river and espouse their cause. In 
1631 Waghinacut, probably a Podunk, went to Boston, and 
afterwards to Plymouth, with this end in view, offering to 
provide the settlers with corn, and to give them eighty skins 
of beaver, if they would accept their offer. The English, 
however, found that he was a treacherous man, and at war 
with a greater sachem than himself — Pekoath — and did not 
accei)t his proposal. Governor Winslow, of Plymouth, how- 
ever, made a journey to the river, but nothing came of it 
until 1638, when rumors of the rich fur trade carried on here 
by the Dutch began to stir the English to action. In that 
year Lieut. Holmes with some Plymouth men sailed valorously 
past the tw^o big guns of the Dutch, at Dutch Point in Hart/- 
ford, with his house aboard, and set up " Plymouth House" 
just below the mouth of the Farmington river, in Windsor. 
He is said to have brought back the sachems who had been 
driven out of their country by the Pequots ; and he bought 
much land of them, ignoring the recent conquest of the 
Pequots altogether. This he was the more ready to do be- 
cause to refuse to recognize the claims of the Pequots was 
also to ignore those of the Dutch, who had purchased their 
lands of them. As a consequence the Pequots behaved very 
badly, murdering Captain Stone and his crew in the Con- 
necticut river, and Captain Oldham at Block Island, and com- 



INDIANS. 21 

mitting- other outrages wliicli ended in their destruction in 
1637. ^ 

The rehxtion of the River Indians to the early settlers 
prior to the Narragansett war appears to have been for the 
most part of a friendly nature, although the aborigines were 
then and always rather unmanageable neighbors. Puritan 
ideas of law and order could hardly avoid something of fric- 
tion in contact with a race that knew no restraints save the 
disorderly troop of its own wild traditions. But we are glad 
to be able to put at the head of their record here (as a whole 
by no means a flattering one), the fact that in the dreadful 
winter of 1635, when the ill-prepared settlers at Hartford 
were reduced to the farthest verge of extremity, there is no 
evidence of violence or savagery, but rather the record of 
kindness and sympathy. They kept the settlers alive with 
gifts of " malt, and acorns, and grains." 

Until about the year 1675, the Indians lived near the settle- 
ment; one writer says, having a village at the north end of 
East Hartford meadows, and one at the south end of the 
"Island," near the Hockanum river, with others, probably, 
along the Hockanum, as at Fort Hill and elsewhere. For 
long intervals the only record in regard to them is in 
the nature of orders passed by the court. The magistrates 
e\'idently found them rather uncouth wards, for so they 
seemed to treat them. They restricted them in various ways, 
forbidding trade with them in arms, in horses, dogs, or boats, 
or in dangerous supplies, as cider, " hot water," etc. Smiths 
were not to work for them, and none but licensed traders were 
to buy their corn, beaver, venison, or tim))er. They were for- 
bidden to enter the houses or handle the arms of the settlers, 
nor were they to 1 >ring their own arms into the towns ; and if 
found in the plantations at night they were to be arrested by 
the guard, or, resisting arrest, to be shot. They were not 
allowed to harbor stragglers, or strange Indians in their vil- 
lages; and in 1658 were required to give up their arms in 
token of their fidelity. Land was not to be leased to them, 
nor could they buy or sell land themselves.-*- Culprits were 
treated according to the English laws, and the long arm of 



22 HISTORY OP EAST HARTFORD. 

justice gave the fugitive little comfort or safety wherever he 
fled. They were also the subjects of special enactments of 
the court, a special chapter in the code of 1650 being de- 
voted to them. In 1667 it was ordered that " whatever 
Indian or Indians shal labor or play on y*^ Sabbath within y^ 
English limits on y^ English lands, he shal pay five shillings 
as a fine .... or sit in y^ stocks one hour." And in 1675, 
for drunkenness he was to work twelve days with the person 
that complained of him and proved his fault, one-half the 
benefit of his labor to go to the complainer, and the other 
half to the county treasury. In 1675, sundry curious laws 
were made to govern the conquered Pequots, of which we 
give two specimens, to further show how uncomfortable the 
righteous Puritans made it for the once wild and uncurbed 
" sons of the forest: " one making their very religious rites a 
crime, in declaring " That whosoever shall powaw [pow-wow], 
or use wichcraft or any fals god shall be convented and 
punished ; " the other forbidding them to chop or fetch home 
wood, or to hunt fowl or fish on the " Saboth day." Contu- 
macious criminals were shipped to the West Indies as slaves, 
in exchange for negroes. Sachems were obliged to answer 
for the good conduct of their subjects, and compelled to give 
up offenders to the magistrates. 

The wild untrammeled life of the Indians early attracted 
to it some from among the whites who were restless of the 
restraints put upon them by the rigid government of the 
Colony. In 1642, it is recorded that " Whereas diverse per- 
sons departe from amongst us, and take up theire aboade with 
the Indians, in a prophane course of life ; for the preventing 
thereof, it is ordered " that any who should so do should be 
punished l)y three years imprisonment and such "■ further 
censure, by fyne or corporall punishment," as the court thinks 
meet. And yet in all this steriiness there was a tempering 
of justice. The rights of the Indians were measurably well 
protected against the crafty whites ; they were admitted to 
live with or near the English and under their protection when 
" submissive ; " committees were appointed to counsel them, 
and religious instructors were provided for them, that there 



INDIANS. 23 

might be made known to these " poore, lost, naked sonnes of 
Adam, twice at least in every jeare, .... the coinicells of 
the Lord, and thereby to draw and stirr them \ p to direct and 
order all theire ways and conversations according to the rule 
of his Worde." How amenahle the Indians were to the pious 
tutelage of the whites is best shown by their history. 
■*" For many years the Podunks continued to live, as has been 
said, upon their lands in the Podimk meadows, and along the 
valley of the Hockanum river, a stream abundant in fish and 
lampreys, while the swamps along its course were rich in 
musquashes and larger game. The fort on Fort Hill in Good- 
win's pasture, near this stream, was a stronghold of the Indi- 
ans, and, during the year 1656 occurred the famous quarrel 
between the Podunks and Sequassen, which, more than any 
other known incident in their history, connects them tangibly 
with Fort Hill and the valley of the Hockanum. 

It appears that a young Podunk named Weaseapono mur- 
dered a sagamore living near Mattabassett (Middletown). 
The sagamore was a relative of Sequassen (chief of the Hart- 
ford and Wethersfield Indians), and Sequassen demanded the 
criminal. The Podunks resolved to defend him ; whereupon 
Sequassen sought the aid of Uncas, his old Mohegan enemy, 
who had also cause against Tantinomo, "the one eyed," for 
harboring" a murderer who had fled from his vengeance, as well 
as for enticing away his men. Uncas, a crafty friend of the 
whites, brought the matter before the English magistrates at 
Hartford, and they attempted an amicable settlement, "f A 
quaint account of this at^'air is entered in the Colonial Records 
of this State in the following words (page 304, vol. 1) : 

" A relation of the carriage of the difference that fell out 
betwixt Vncas & Seoquassen of the one side & Totanimo 
& the Potunck Indians, At the Generall Court held at Hart- 
ford, in May, in the year of o"" Lord, 1656. 

" That vpon the murther of a Sachem of Connecticott dwel- 
ling neare Mattapeaset, by a young man called Weaseapano, 
Seoquassen complained to the Magistrates of Hartford of the 
wrong that the Potunck Indians did to him in entertaining & 
maintaining of him against all justice, w^h said Seoquassen tooke 



24 HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 

Vncas in to liim for lielpe, to bee reiienged for tlie said Sachems 
death wlio was inraged w''' the like accident of entertaining 
a niurtherer that runne from Vnquas to the said Potunk, who 
complained like"wdse of wrongs done him, to the Magistrates. 
Vnquas also had complained to the Magistrates of Connecti- 
cott for seuerall wrongs done to him by Tantonomo, espetially 
his intising of many of his men <t their protecting a Murtherer ; 
and therevppon the Magistrates ordered that the Sachems of 
both sides should appeare at Hartford at the Generall Court ; 
who all appearing, Seoquassen first declared of the fact done 
by a meane fellow vppon one that was allyed to liim, a great 
Sachem ; and so Vnquas & Foxen iustified, in many words. 

" The Gouerno'' pressed to know what sattisfaction they re- 
quired, who answered & pressed hard to haue 10 men put to 
death of his friends that was the murtherer ; the other Sach- 
ems pleaded vnjust, because the Sachem that was slayne had 
murdered the young mans Vncle Avilfully. The Court many 
of them spake their mindes to & fro. The Gouerno'' shewed 
the Indians what o"" law is in such cases, that onely the mur- 
therer or any that were accessary to it should be punished, & 
so hee & many Deputies pressed both sides for peace, & not 
to fight vpon such a quarrell. 

"■ The Potunck Sachems pi'ffered to giue wampam in way of 
sattisfaction, w^'" wholly was rejected, whereupon the Court 
spent some time to perswadc to peace. Then they fell to be sat- 
tisfied w^h the death of 6 men. The Court wearied with their 
speeches pressed the Potunk Indians to deliver vp the mur- 
therer, the w^h Totannimo p'mised, but priuately stole out of 
the Court & went w^'' tlie rest of the Sachems to Potunk forte : 
wherevpon both the English & Indians were offended & agreed 
to send a messeng'' to deliver vp the murtherer, as Totaiiimo 
liad p'mised in Court. In the meane time the Court a[)- 
pointed 4 Dcputyes to be a Comittee to treat w^'' the Sacliems 
of both sides, to see what could be done for peace. This Com- 
mittee priuately brought Vnquas to accept of the murtherer 
only, for full sattisfaction. But those Potunk Indians said 
they could not deliver vp the said nuu-ther'", his friends were 
so many & potent w^''in the Forte. 



INDIANS. 25 

" In the afternoon the Comittee & the Sachems made knowne 
to the Court, who then agreed that by no meanes the English 
would bee ingaged in either of their quarrels, but would leave 
them to themselves, wherevpon the Gou^nor made a long 
speech desiring to bee at peace one wt^ another, & take wam- 
pam. If they would not, then hee declared that the Court 
would not hinder them, but left them to themselues, & what- 
soeuer fell out afterwards vpon either of them, they brought 
vpon themselues. But so were engaged, that they should not 
fight vpon this side of the river of Hartford, nor hurt any 
of the English houses or any of theirs of the other side of the 
river ; w"^*" many expressions more to the same effect, was 
spoken by the Gouerno'' & also by some of the Deputies. 

" Some expressions many times in agitation thereof was 
spoken that might carry that sence of advising & counselling 
of Vnquas not to fight, as some app''liended then, but in con- 
clusion the Gourno"", as the mouth of the Court, declared his 
minde fully to the Indians of both sides, as aforesaid. 

" Witnesse our hand, this 20th of August, 1657. 

" Jonathan Brewster. 
"Aug: 19th, (57). 

" The Court voted that this relation should bee transcribed 
& asserted vud"" the Sees hand, that to their sattisfaction it 
was euidenced in Court to be a true relation." 

Uncas gathered his warriors and marched against the Po- 
dunks, but was met near the Ilockanum river, prol)al)ly not 
far from Fort Hill, l)y Tantinomo with a nearly equal force of 
warriors, and was unwilling to hazard a battle. He told Tan- 
tinomo he would bring the Mohawks in destruction upon his 
people if he continued to protect the murderers. He then left. 
Shortly afterwards l)y a clover exercise of strategy he obtained 
Weaseapono. A dextrous warrior went to Podunk, fired a 
wigwam, and left Mohawk weapons upon his trail. These the 
pursuing Podunks found, and, full of fear of the dreadful Mo- 
hawks, they sent to Mohegan for terms of peace, and surren- 
dered the murderer. (DeForest.) 

It is not apparent, so far as the Podunks are concerned, 
that any result followed the appointment of the early religious 
4 



26 HfSTORY OP EAST HARTFORD. 

instructors for the Indians, or that they wrought among them 
at all. DeForest says the Podunks received their first and 
perhaps their last call to religious truth from John Eliot, the 
famous Indian apostle, who, being in Hartford in 1657, began 
his attempts to christianize the natives by addressing them. 
The principal men of the tribe assembled in the meeting-house 
in Hartford, and he spoke to them in their own language. 
He concluded liy asking them whether they would acc'ejit Chi-ist 
or not. They rej>lied, " No ; you have taken away our lands, 
and now want to make us your servants." And they scorn- 
fully departed. Possibly they thought the white man's re- 
ligion was not adequate to console them for the wrongs which 
they conceived that he, in its name, had wrought against 
them. They refused to bow to the maker of the hand that 
was, apparently, every day against them. And yet their 
wrongs were imaginary rather than real. They had welcomed 
the English here, and gladly sold them their lands for a price. 
And if the contrast betw^een their squalor and unthrift, and 
the comforts of their hard-working and provident neighbors 
was a glaring one, yet the cause was not far to seek had they 
been of a philosophic temper. But of such a temper they ob- 
viously were not, for it is recorded by the Rev. Samuel Wood- 
bridge, our first pastor on this side of the river, that it was 
noted that of these " scoffers " all died soon after, and that in 
his day not one of the tribe remained. 

In this same year (1657) appears an order in the records 
of the colony, which indicates that the Podunks had left their 
homes because of their apprehension of Uncas, and Mr. Allen 
and Jonathan Gilbert were a})pointcd to go and make known 
the minds of the commissioners in regard to the matter. The 
commissioners had " ordered that Vnckas bee required to 
pfmit the Podunk Indians to return to their dwellings & there 
abide in peace and safety w"'out molestation from him or his, 
& that the said Indians bee incouraged & invited so to do, by 
the Governor of Connecticott, .... and to signify to 
Pocomtick and Norwootick sachems our charge uppon Vnckas 
in refference to Podunk Indians, and our desire of their retui'u 
and continuance in peace : therefore we desire & expect they 



INDIANS. 27 

will forbeare all hostility against Vnckas till the next meeting 
of the commissioners." 

A committee of eight were appointed in 1659, to lay out and 
divide the Podunk lands formerly possessed by those Indians, 
and likewise to treat with them for what land was not fit for 
their planting, that they might be willing to part with to those 
English who had contracted with Tantinomo. And what 
ap]iears to the committee to be granted and allowed by the 
Indians as Tantinomo's "perticnler pro])ricty, the court is 
willing to allow of and confirm to the English, according to 
their bargain, vidz: to Thomas Burnham and his partners." 
And wh.at winter grain was sowed on the land was to belong 
to the Indians who sowed it. And if the Indians were willing 
to part with some planting land, then the committee were to 
lay it out to the English as a part of Tantinomo's bargain. 

The Thomas Burnham al)ovc mentioned, and Jacob Mygatt, 
had, about the year 1658, pi'ocured of Tantinomo a deed of 
certain lands in Podunk. The extent of these lands and the 
nature of the conveyance cannot n<iw be known, the instru- 
ment having been lost. Probably the Burnluim lands in 
Podunk are the only ones in our town })urchased l)y individ- 
uals in their private capacity from the Indians. The court 
recognized this conveyance to Burnham and Mygatt as a mere 
lease of the land, the title of which they or their assigns were 
obliged to purchase of the grantees in the distribution of the 
three mile purchase in 1666. The troubles which grew out 
of this loose bargain, or lease, were so speedy and importu- 
nate * that the General court found it politic to cut off the 

* Wm. Pitkin and Bartli: Barnard bought tlie right of Jacob Mygatt in 
these lands, and a dispute arose with Burnliam about tlie division of them. 
The matter went to the General Court, whicli, in 166(j, confirmed a deci- 
sion of the county court in the case against Burnham. But his people did 
not give up so easily. His wife and children sturdily drove oil' Pitkin's 
and Barnard's men when thej^ came to plant, and scattered their seed to the 
winds. The above decision, however, was confirmed again in 1(!()8, giving 
Burnham what wheat and pease he had planted, but providing that he 
should pay land rent for the pease at the rate of 8 shillings for an acre. 
This was in May, 1G68, and an appeal of Burnham's was denied the follow- 
ing October. Burnliam afterwards purchased, from the grantees of 16G6, 
much or all of the land which he held by his unrecognized purchase from 
the Indians. 



28 HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 

possibility of other complications of this sort by an order, in 
1660, forbidding any person directly or indirectly to buy or 
rent lands of the Indians at Podunk. But Thomas Burnham 
was to be allowed, if the Indians departed, to improve their 
lands (with tlicir consent before a magistrate) in their al)sence; 
but to freely surrender the same on their returii. This to con- 
tinue until "his lease" expired. 

A month later the court having heard the return of the 
committee, " respecting Thomas Burnham his contract with 
Tantimono : It appears that part of the lands laid out to the 
said Burnliam and his copartners doth beloug to Foxens' suc- 
cessors by a gift of Foxen to his allies ;" and it was ordered 
that the Podunks should occupy according to the former order, 
and that the English who had contracted with Tantinomo 
should possess according to their bargain only "that w^i is ye 
particular proprietie of Tantinomo that the Indians do yield, 
or that Tanto : can prove to be his propriety." Mr. Allyn and 
Jonathan Gilbert were to "bound ye said Tanton: part" to 
Thomas Burnham, and the order was to stand until further 
proof of Tantinomo's right appeared. 

Burnham afterwards secured from Arramamet, Taquis, and 
four others, Foxen's successors, or a part of them, " for divers 
good considerations and five coats," a deed of all their land at 
Podunk; the deed saying that they do, for themselves and 
successors, make over all their right and title in those lands 
aforesaid unto Thomas Burnham and his heirs. It is signed 
"Arramamet, his mark" — a device of a l>ow and arrow, 
"Taquis, his mark," and others. 

Later deeds in the possession of the Buynham family con- 
vey to the descendants of Thomas Burnham the rights of 
individual Indians in lands in the Podunk meadows. One 
Popo, a Podunk, deeded to John Burnham land bounded by 
the Connecticut and Podunk rivers and by land of certain 
squaws, for six pounds and " other consideration." And in 
1711, three squaws (luit^claimed to Tliomas Burnham 2d, 
land l)Ounded east by the- upland, north by Solomon Oilman, 
and south l»y a i-oad, " in consideration of one coat and two 
shillings and sixpence in cash." 



INDIANS. 29 

Probably these errant Indians turned up like lost heirs at 
certain impecunious times to assert some obscure claim to the 
Podunk lands, and no doubt gave the occupants no little trouble 
to get rid of them. The last that appears upon the record is 
the " wife of Squinimo, an Indian man," complaining that 
she is unjustly kept out of possession of certain lands at 
Poduid?:, contrary to the act of March, 1(360. Col. Allyn was 
to enquire and re})ort in May, 1723, but nothing further 
a|)pears. Probal)ly a coat or tw^o, or a few shillings, sent the 
wife of Squinimo on her happy way into the o))livion that has 
fallen upon all of her ti'ibe. 

Going back from this digression to the year 1661, and 
taking up the sequence of events again, we find the restless 
Podunks again unsettled, and a source of uneasiness to the 
whites, who appointed a committee, consisting of Major 
Mason and four others, " to settle the Podunk Indians in that 
place vppon righteous and honorable terms ; " and also the 
Farmington Indians, and to purge out strangers from among 
them ; and to " enjoyne both to cease their warr and not to 
entertein strangers ; and also to require y*^ captives." 

The Podunks appear to have required a deal of " settling."" 
In 1666, when Arramamet was their sole sachem, the Mohe- 
gans under Uncas encroached on their territory by hunting- 
there, — probably while conducting one of their big " drives," 
which depleted the country driven in a day of its larger 
game. This was fresh reason for a quarrel, but it resulted 
bloodlessly. Both parties appealed to the whites, and the 
General Assembly appointed John Allyn, William Wadsworth, 
and Thomas Stanton (an interpreter), to hear and adjust the 
difficidty. The result was an amicable agreement, as follows : 

"This writeing witnesseth that Vncass, sachem of Moheag, 
in behalfe of himselfe and people of Moheage and Nahantick, 
doe hereby engage him and them to Aramamatt, Seacut & 
Nessaheagen, Gent" of Conecticut, in behalfe of the Indian 
people at Windsor, Podunk, Hartford, that they wil carry it 
peaceably & neighbourly towards them and the aforesaid 
Indians, and that they will not either secretly or publiquely 
contriue or practice any evil or mischiefe against y". And 



30 HISTORY OP EAST HARTFORD. 

the aforesaid Araiiiaiiiat etc. engage that they & the afore- 
said Indians on the Riuer wil carry it peaceahly towards y« 
aforesaid Sachem and his people and that they wil neither 
plot nor practice any evil against the said Vncass or his people. 
And whereas there is a difference al)Out the bounds of Lands 
and Royalties belonging to y^ said Sachem and Aramamat, 
It is agreed between them that the deviding bounds shalbc at 
Ashowat to Wonggunshoake and soe to Washiack and from 
thenc northerly, from w'-'' bounds the Land and Royalties on 
the east shalbe and remaine to Vncass and his heires, and 
from yc said liounds on ye west to Conecticut Riuer shalbe to 
Aramamat and his heires ; and this our agreemt, and that we 
oblige ourselues & o"" heires to stand to y^ same, wee testify 
by subscribing o"" marks. 

" It is agreed that Aramamat shal not imp^priate vnto 
himself any of y« land y* is on the south of y" path that goes 
from Thomas Edwards to Monheage. 

" Vncass, x his mark. 

Aramamat, x his mark. 

Sf]ACUT, X his mark. 

Nesahegen, X his mark. 

QUANAMPEWET, X his nirk." 

(See Colonial Records, Vol. II, Page 41.) 

It was after- the above treaty that Arramamet gave his 
daughter, the dusky and high-born Sowgonosk, to Attawan- 
hood (called by the English, Joshua), the third son of Uncas, 
and sachem of the Western Niantics. In confirmation of 
their marriage Arramamet gave to them all his lands in 
Podunk and elsewhere, with the condition that it was after- 
ward to go to the children of Sowgonosk, if any survived 
her, or to her nearest heirs by English law. This land and 
much other, to which he had but a questionable title, Joshua, 
at his death in 1075, willed to his two sons, with I'emainder to 
liis two squaws. Among the larger tracts of from 500 to 
5,000 acres which this munificent chieftain gave away, was one 
to William Pitkin, Thomas Burnham, and twelve others, com- 
prising all the land, excepting 300 acres, lying fi-oni the moun- 
tains in sight of Hartford, northward to a pond cnlled Shenaps ; 



INDIANS. 31 

east to Willimaiitic river; south bj said river, and west by 
Hartford Itounds (tlie present line between Manchester and 
l)olton). He had agreed prior to 1672 with the town of 
Hartford for land to extend its bounds live miles eastward — 
land included in the jjresent town of Manchester, but long- 
known as the Five Miles, or Joshua lands. A deed of this 
land was procured in 1682, from his administrators, Jas. 
i^'itch, Jr., and Thos. Ihickinghani. The price is not "iven. 

The breaking out of the Narragansett war in June, 1675, 
tested the loyalty and good faith of the Indian tribes in a way 
that no prior event had done. It was the first grand effort 
of the Indians to exterminate the white men, who were so 
rapidly encroacliing upon their hunting grounds. In this 
crisis, when the plan of extirpation spared neither women or 
children, the Mohegans and Pequots were faithful to the 
English ; some other tribes remained neutral ; a few Nip- 
mucks of Windham county, and the Podunks, joined Philip. 
Tradition says the Podunks then numbered two hundred 
warriors, but DeForest thinks there could have l)een but 
about sixty. Few survived this disastrous war to return to 
their native haunts along the Poduiik and the Hockanum, 
and it was virtually their end as a nation. 

In the sunny serenity of our own time, when one may fall 
asleep in any drowsy nook that invites him in the woods, it is 
difficult to call up a picture of the real dangers that sur- 
rounded our ancestors at this time. It was an age of super- 
stition, when |)eople were credulous of witchcraft, and of 
black Satanic influences ; when the dark forests were astir 
with demoniac savages, and the nights were hag-ridden and 
full of direful portents and palpitations. In imagination a 
foe lurked behind every copse, and the evil one had sworn and 
sealed emissaries among men. But the Indians were for the 
time the supreme foe, and the records are full of indications 
of activity against them. Several persons had been shot at 
l)y them in this neighborhood, and in Sept., 1675, Major Robert 
Treat was " commissionated to ai»poynt about 30 of your Troop 
of Dragoones to march on the east side of the river and to 
make what discoueries of the enemy you can in those parts, 



32 HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 

and seiz all such sculking armed Indians as you shall meet 
with in yoni- way ; and to make search from Hockanum Riuer 
to Scantic, where they are to quarter this night and to-mor- 
row make fui'ther discouerie." Thirty dragoons were also to 
march on the west side of the river to Wetherslield, and 
thirty others to Windsor. 

Manif(»ld precautions were taken by those living on the 
outskirts of the settlements. In October, Mr. John Hollister 
at Nayage (South Glastonbury,) was permitted to hire three 
or four men to fortify his house and secure his corn. Flank- 
ers were to be placed in or near the outside houses, so as to 
command from flanker to flanker round the town; and in 
December those who continued on the east side the river were 
ordered to '^ repayre into good and sufficient garrisons " to 
defend themselves ; all grain was to be brought into the towii, 
or secured in some garrison on that side ; all swine were 
to be secured ov killed ; and no arms or ammunition were to 
be kept save in garrison-houses, except what men carried with 
them. Good watches were to be kept l)y night, and ward )>y 
day ; or else scouts were to be sent "• to range the woods by day 
to discover the approach of an enemie." These orders were 
declared hy the constables in the plantations. 

That these precautions were not idle ones, so far as our 
territory was concerned, is apparent from this entry in the 
journal of the Council, Fel). 18, 1675-6 : 

"The enemie having come to Hoccanum and shott at 
William Hill and sorely wounded him, the Councill sent. 
forth a l)arty of souldiei'S to make search for the enemie." 

February 21, 1675-6, the following order was passed : 

" The enemie some of them drawing down into these parts 
to doe mischiefe (as is evident,) the Councill have thought 
meet to order that what corn and provissions are on the east 
side of the river, in the several farms there and not in garri- 
sons, be forthwith transported to the plantations to be secured 
from the enemie ; and the constables in the several planta- 
tions are hereby ordered to assist the good people there, by 
impressing men, boates and teamcs for the transportation of 
their corn and provissions afoarsayd. And the people are 



INDIANS. 33 

allso ordered to draw themselves into garrisons for their 
safety ; and to bring their cattell and hay to be under the 
command of their garrisons, that they may be preserved, — 
except they bring them over to the towns; and not to goe 
forth upon their occasions without their armes and in com- 
panyes so as tliey may defend themselves : and that there 
be garrisons kept at Nath: Bisseirs, Tho: Burnham's, Mr. 
John Crowe's, and at Nabuck, and Mr. Willys his farme ; 
provided in every garrison there be six men at least, and that 
the garrisons be well fortified, and that noe place but such 
doe remayn inhabited on the east side the sayd River. And 
the constables are forthwith to give notice hereof to the 
people in their respective limitts, and to require their attend- 
ance hereunto." 

Nath. Bissell ran a ferry in Windsor (now South Windsor); 
Tlios. Burnham lived nearly opposite the house of Mr. Julius 
Burnham in Podunk ; John Crow lived near the late Ozias 
Roberts place in East Hartford ; Nabuck is now Naubuc ; and 
Mr. Willys's farm was still further south. 

A vivid picture of the barbarities of this time is given 
in the examination of one Menowniett, who was "halfe a 
Moheag and halfe a Naragoncett," who confessed he was 
in many fights against the English, — at Northampton and 
above, at Pacomtock (Deerfield), at Hadley, and in many 
smaller assaults. He was asked, " Who killed G: Elmore 
at Podunck ? He [said he] was one of them himselfe ; there 
was 9 in company ; 3 did the businesse, which were Weau- 
woss, Johnnot and Mashinott." 

" He also sayth Cohas and another Naragancet shot William 
Hill." 

" Cohas burnt G: Coals house." 

" He sayth j^ Indians hid a great many guns about Pacomp- 
tuck" (Deerfield), etc. 

To obtain these guns, Lieut. Thos. Hollister was ordered to 
take ten men, and with the prisoner, march " forthwith to the 
sayd place where the arms are s^^ to be hid ; and if yet they 
remayn, he is hereby ordered to seiz the s'^ arms and convey 
them in safe custody to Hartford." And in case Menowniett 
5 



34 HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 

did not carry it. well, or failed to make the discovery, Lieut. 
Hollistcr had liberty to kill him or to return him to prison 
again. 

Cohas, or Cohause, was taken near New Haven by the 
friendly Indians, who were very serviceable at this time. 
He was brought before the council and acknowledg(^d his 
hostility to the English, and was accused by Menowniett of 
being party to the shooting of William Hill, and of burning 
Goodman Coals's house, etc. The council found him an 
open and des])erate enemy of the English, and declared him 
a "child of death." He was accordingly sentenced "to 
sufTcr the paynes and terrors of death ; and that if the 
Indians see cause to put him to death, they shall doc it 
forthwith ; if not, he shall be shot to death by som English. 
The Marshall is appoynted to see execution done. Which 
was performed by an Indian." 

The larger events of the Narragansett war need not be 
recounted here. Two soldiers, Thomas Trill and Oliadiah 
Wood, who were engaged in it, lived on this side the Great 
River, and were the first two persons buried in our Center 
Burying-Ground. 

A ragged remnant only of the Podunks remained on their 
lands to quarrel about them in 1677. That year the court 
appointed a committee to set out " what of those planting- 
lands at Fodunek shall belong to Aramamet, his heires, and 
what shall belong to tlie other Indians." These slowly dis- 
posed of their rights here as has already been shown, until 
in 1722 the wife of " Squinimo, an Indian man," makes a 
last feeble conqilaiut, and disa])pears from sight. 

But the danger to the colonies from the Indians was not 
ended with the close of Philip's war. In 1689 a committee 
was appointed for fortifying four houses on this side the 
river ; and when, in 1704, the Eastern Indians fell upon 
Deerfield, either killing or capturing all of its sleeping inhab- 
itants, precautionary measures were again undertaken. Tlie 
" great guns" (formerly taken from the Dutch) were ordered 
mounted, and the four houses on this side were ordered 
fortified "at their own cost and charge." William Pitkin, 



INDIANS. 35 

Lieut. Jonathan Hills, Dea. Joseph Olmsted, Daniel Bidwell, 
Sergt. William Williams were to be a committee to appoint 
the houses to be fortified, and to " proportion each man's 
share that he is to doc of said fortification." One of tlie 
houses then fortified was that of William Pitkin, who lived 
on the meadow hill not far from the track of the New- 
York & New England railroad. There is a difference of 
opinion in regard to the exact site of this house, which is 
discussed elsewhere. 

Into William Pitkin's fort, says a writer in the Ulm Leaf, 
the inhal)itants were summoned at evening by the ringing of 
a l)ell. No serious trouble was had with tlie Indians in this 
neighborhood at this time. 

Tlie most that remains to record concerning those of the 
Indians who lingered here, are certahi traditions wliich show 
them in their pitiable decay, without character or any noble 
traits, lingering in thievish, dissolute vagabondage, a disgrace 
even to their savage and turbulent ancestry, often appearing 
a forlorn and curious spectacle in their tawdry ])hnnage on 
"election days" and other high days in Hartford. 

Some, as we have said, were enslaved for offences against 
the English. Joseph Bull, who owned part of a saw-mill at 
Burnside, had an Indian servant, named Jamus, who had 
voluntarily bound himself to him. Jamus, how^ever, became 
tired of service, and was flying with otliers out of the coun- 
try. He was caught at Bull's "great charge," and was l)y 
the council sentenced to continue in his master's service for 
life, unless his master chose to abate his punishment for good 
behavior. If he again ran away or misbehaved he was to be 
sold out of the country. 

The love of the Indians for cider and " hot Avaters " led 
them to take many risks. The Williams family early settled 
near the Willow Brook on land just east of Dowd's grove, 
and the family have a tradition that here an Indian was shot 
while stealing cider. The shooting was done with an old 
" queen's arms " musket, which is still preserved. After- 
w^ards another Indian thrust his gun through the window of 
a neighboring house, just south of the brook, with murder- 



36 HISTORY OP EAST HARTFORD. 

ous intent. Mrs. Williams saw the gun and struck up its 
muzzle just in time to have the charge enter a beam over- 
head. Other Indians caught stealing cider were thrown into 
a patch of briers on " Pigeon Hill," near here ; and when 
they struggled out on the other side were caught and tossed 
back again, until they were thought sufficiently punished. 

The Elm Leaf, a little local newspaper, which lived a few 
years with us on rather meagre fare, published a few " tradi- 
tionary papers," from the pen of Mr. George J. Olmsted, in 
1863. In them is told the story of an Indian who entered a 
house, one Sunday, where a woman was alone, and demanded 
cider. It was refused him, whereupon he drew a knife from 
his belt and sharpened it upon the table, threatening at the 
same time to kill her. Suddenly a large dog, before unseen, 
sprang out upon him, and he escaped only with a torn and 
bleeding arm. 

The following story of the ingenious plan of two Indians 
to get rum (allowed only at funerals), is from the same 
source. John persuaded Sam to play he was dead, and then 
he went to 'Squire [Jonathan] Hills [of Hockanum], and 
procured the rum. The 'Squire afterwards met Sam alive, 
and probably the worse for the rum. He met Jolin also, and 
said, " Look here, you rascal ! Why did you lie to me ? Sam 
is not dead." " Me not lie," said John ; "• me thought him 
dead ; he say so himself." 

This also from the same source : A squaw came to the 
house of a Mr. Forljes (probably in Burnside) for protection. 
She was allowed to hide under a bed. An Indian soon came 
and demanded her ; and the people, being somewhat afraid, 
gave her up. The Indian dragged her away to the woods, and 
scalped and killed her. 

The following is from another source : One Euodias Bid- 
well, whose house stood on the point between the Tolland 
turnpike and Burnside avenue, was not a man of redoubtable 
courage. Abroad one day in tlie woods with his gim, he 
caught sight of an Indian crouching in the bushes. He held 
his gun at arm's length above his head, and faltered : "I am 
Euodias Bid well. I won't shoot if you won't." Getting no 



INDIANS. 37 

reply, he gathered courage, and found the Indian had been 
dead many days. 

These stories, more or less credible, belong to the remnant 
of the Podunk tribe, which, DeForest says, was living on 
tlie Hockanum river in 1745, but in 1760 had entirely dis- 
appeared, merging into the tribes in the western part of the 
State, and losing their nationality. Barber (Hist. Coll.) says 
some of them joined the Pequots at New London. However 
this may be, there were Indians living in Scotland (now 
Burnside) within the memory of some of our older citizens.* 
They had a chief named Tobias, or Toby. In a fit of 
jealousy he killed his wife and another Indian with a pitch- 
fork in Mr. Ozias BidwelFs barn, they having lain down there 
in a drunken sleep. By a town vote in 1793, Dr. George 
Griswold was paid for visiting an Indian woman there and 
dressing her wounds ; and Mr. Deodat VVoodljridge was paid 
for articles furnished her. 

And this is the end of a tribe originally possessed of a 
certain savage health and nobility, a people adequate to them- 
selves in their rude systems of government and of social life, 
— a peo})le native to the wilderness, and as much a })art of it 
as were the wolf and the deer, and as irreconcilable to the 
neighborhood of civilization. No attempt has been made 
here to make a pathetic tale of their story ; and yet we hope 
that no one who reads these pages, and afterwards wan<lers 
afield or in the woods in our town in the beautiful Indian 
summer of the year, will escape a subtle, hazy sense of an 
earlier and freer occupancy by a color-loving race whom 
Nature with her gorgeous trappings seems not yet to have 
forgotten. 

*A few Indians lived in a wigwam about eighty rods south of Mr. 
Geo. W. Pratt's house, on Silver Lane, about 1775-80. 



EARLY OCCUPANCY. 



CHAPTER II. 

1635-1666. 



The bounds of the town of Hartford once included the 
territory now occupied by the towns of East Hartford, Man- 
chester, and West Hartford. The history of East Hartford 
is one with that of Hartford until the year 1783, when it 
became a separate town. It included the territory of the 
present town of Manchester within its limits until 1823. 
The region north of the Hockanum river was generally 
called by the Indians and settlers Podunk ; that south of 
the river, Hockanum ; but these were no certain designa- 
tions, and by some all the meadow along the Great River 
was called Hockanum. 

The attention of tlie settlers of Massachusetts Bay was 
first called to this neighborhood in 1631 by the Indians, who 
wished their aid against the encroaching Pequots. They 
gave a flattering account of the region, and oflcred presents 
of corn and beaver if a settlement were made. But not until 
1634, when the settlers on Massachusetts Bay l)egan to feel 
the need of more and better land, were any sent to explore 
the country. These brought Ijack favorable descriptions of 
the excellent cleared meadows upon both sides of the great 
river, and a glowing account of the profitable fur trade of the 
Dutch, who had a trading-house, or fort, known as the House 
of Hope, upon Dutch Point, now in Hartford. 

In 1633 Lieut. Holmes and some Plymouth men set up a 
fortified trading-house, known as Plymouth House, in what is 
now Windsor, In 1635 a few other persons settled along the 
river, some at Windsor and others at Wethersfield. The 
first plan of a permanent settlement at Hartford was formed 



EARLY OCCUPANCY. 39 

by Thomas Hooker and his followers, who had determined to 
leave Newtown, now Cambridge, and plant themselves in the 
Connecticut Yalley. A party of sixty persons, with Mr. 
John Steele at their head, intending to anticipate Hooker's 
company, made hasty preparation, and set out in October, 
1635. They came across the "trackless wilderness," through 
swamps, over hills, and across rivers, and winter, which set 
in early that year, was upon them before they had prepared 
suitable shelter for themselves or their cattle. Storms de- 
layed or wrecked the vessels by which they expected their 
furniture and provisions ; the Connecticut froze over by the 
25th of November, and the snow was so deep that many of 
their cattle could not be got across the river, and were win- 
tered this side, browsing and starving in the woods. Some 
of the comjjany struggled back to Boston, assisted on their 
way through the dreadful wilderness by the Indians ; others 
journeyed down the river in hope of meeting their vessels, 
but, failing in this, they embarked in the Reljecca, and after 
tedious hardships reached Boston. Those who remained 
shared with the Indians a meagre diet of malt and acorns 
through the winter. ^ 

In the June following most of these sturdy settlers returned 
in company with ministers John Hooker and Samuel Stone, 
whose better organized party made the journey through the 
woods without mishap, living chiefly on the milk of their 
cows. The settlement was called Newtown until February, 
1636-7, when its name was changed to Hartford, in honor of 
Mr. Stone, who came from Hartford in England. 

The settlers brought with them a commission from the 
general court of Massachusetts, but found themselves beyond 
its jurisdiction. They straightway formed themselves into a 
voluntary association for the purpose of establishing a govern- 
ment, and of purchasing the land from the Indians. For the 
latter purpose a common fund was raised, and the lands were 
afterwards distril^uted, to each man his proportion according 
to the amount he had paid in. In 1636 Mr. Stone and 
William Goodwin received a deed of the land for the new 
settlement from Sequassen, sachem of the Suckiaug tribe. 



40 HISTORY OP EAST HARTFORD. 

This deed was lost, but a renewal deed was given by his 
surviving representatives to Mr. Samuel Willys " and the rest 
of the proprietors of the undivided lands within the bounds 
of the township of Hartford," July 5, 1670. This deed 
conveyed land now covered by the towns of IJartford and 
West Hartford only, — " the whole bredth of land from Weth- 
ersfield to Windsor bounds, from the great river on the east 
to run into the wilderness westward full six miles, which is 
to the place where Hartford and Farmington bounds meet." 
It is signed by " Masseeckcup his mark," and by eight other 
Indians, and is witnessed by "Arramatt his mark" (chief of 
the Podunks), and by four other Indians. 

No deed has been found of the land covered by our town, 
althougli such a deed was, without doubt, given by the Indi- 
ans, the territory having been held in common by the propri- 
etors, and finally divided, as were their other purchases. 
Such a deed, if existing, would be merely a curious old docu- 
ment, and not in the least essential to confirm the titles to 
any of our lands. The reason for this is that the English law 
has never recognized the rights of the Indians to the fee of 
the territory they occupied in common with the beasts of the 
forest. The right of discovery and the formal act of taking- 
possession by the representatives of the potentates of Europe 
was held to be a stronger claim than that of years of posses- 
sion by the red men. Still the charter of 1662, wliich gives, 
grants, and confirms, unto John Winthrop and eighteen others, 
" and all others as are now or hereafter shall be made free of 
the Company and Society of our Colony of_ Connecticut in 
America," known by the name of " Grovernour and Company 
of the English Collony of Connecticut in New England in 
America," all lauds from Narragansett Bay to the Pacific 
Ocean, recognizes the fact that the greatest part thereof was 
obtained for great and valuable considerations, or gained by 
conquest, and with nmch difficulty. On this charter, which 
healed all disputes and confirmed all prior acts of the colony, 
our land titles are impregnably based. 

The names of the proprietors of the purchases from the In- 
dians were arranged in a list, with their proportion of interest 



EARLY OCCUPANCY. 41 

affixed to their names, and in this ratio they shared in any 
expense that arose, or in any division that was made. In this 
list Mr. John Haynes, the governor, stands at 200, Wm. Pan- 
try 85 or 80, John Crow 40 or 20, Joseph Easton 10, Richard 
Risley 8, and others at intermediate ratios. 

Later settlers, who were by a formal vote admitted inhab- 
itants of the town, were given shares in the undivided lands, 
and a list of them was also kept. The interest in the part- 
nership of this class ranges from 3 to 13. Another class had 
lots, " granted to such inhabitants only at town's courtesy, 
with liberty to fetch wood and keep swine and cows by pro- 
portion on the common." 

Those grantees who did not settle here and improve their 
land within twelve months forfeited it to the company again ; 
and any settler removing within four years from the com- 
mencement of his occupancy forfeited his land also to the 
company, which paid him for his improvements thereon. 

Some who applied to be admitted inhabitants were so un- 
fortunate as not to be i-eceived ; care was taken to exclude 
objectionable persons. Sept. 1, 1665, tlie townsmen were or- 
dered to " present 50 shillings to Robert Bartlett of North- 
ampton for a certain parcel of land," or if he does not accept, 
they are to require security of him to free them from any dam- 
age ^ that shall happen to y^ town by reason of any inhab- 
itant to whom he shall sell it." 

The original north and south boundaries of the town on 
this side of the Great River were originally declared as fol- 
lows : 

" Samuel Wakeman & Ancient Stoughton doe thinke meete 
that the bounds of Wethersfield shalbe .... bettween 
them and Hartford .... and over the great River the 
said Wethersfield to begin att the mouth of Pewter pott 
Brooke, att the lower side of Hoccand, and tliere to run due 
east into the Country 3 miles .... which is ordered 
accordingly." " The boundes between Harteford & Windsor 
is agreed to be," etc. " And over the said great River the 
saide Plantacon of Windsor is to come to the Riveretts mouth 
that falls into the said greate River of Connectecott and then 
6 



42 HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 

the said Hartford is to runn east into the Country, w^h is or- 
dered accordingly." A note in tlie margin says, " The Riverett 
on the other side by the Indians is called Podanke." 

The lands on the east side of the Great River were early 
divided among the proprietors. A division of' our rich mead- 
ows was made about the year 1640, for meadow and plow lots ; 
the hay and grain being drawn across the river at times of low 
water, just north of the present carriage bridge. No record 
remains of this distribution, and the uncertainties of the early 
records make it impossible to prepare anything like a true 
plot of the first grantees. Previous to its distribution the land 
was divided by an east and west line, supposed to have been 
drawn near the site of the present Hockanum bridge,* into 
two parts, which were known respectively as the north and 
the south sides. This division corresponded with a similar 
one that existed in Hartford, on the west side of the river, the 
line there being the Little River. By a vote of the proprietors, 
those who had land on the north side of this line were to have 
105 acres for every 100, while those on the south side were to 
have only 100 acres for every 100. A committee was to ap- 
point " which of those men that live on the south side [in 
Hartford] that have no meadow in Hockanum shall take their 
division on the north side, and to hear the complaints of those 
who complain," etc. 

These lots were bounded east by the " bog wall," or the 
western side of the swamp land near the meadow hill. Bounds 
were ordered set in them July 28, 1640. 

March 24, 1640-1, it was ordered hj the committee chosen 
to divide the ground on the east side, that " twenty acres of 
the land that lieth between the Great River and the line that 
runneth from the south to the north [bog wall ?], and on the 
south side of the east line near Hockanum pound shall be re- 
served for the accommodating of several pore men that the 
town shall think moete to accommodate there, and then the 
middle line to the cast shall be the dividing line between the 
peopell on the north and south sides, when the reserves be 
made even." 

* This was the Hue of division wlieii two schools were established iu 
1730. 



EARLY OCCUPANCY. 43 

Several grants of the above land were made, but not always 
to poor men. Thomas Case was given two acres. Wm. Blum- 
field was given " the ground whereon the pound now stands, 
and to be made up of ground about it four acres." John Will- 
cock was given four acres ; Henry Waclie, two acres : James 
Waclie, two acres ; Thos. Blise, Sr., two acres ; Thos. Blise, 
Jr., two acres ; William Watse, two acres. " It is furdermore 
ordered y' theare bee sequestered 2 two acres of that ground 
that shall be for the use of John Latymore if the town shall 
think meet to admit him an inhaljitant." Jeruise Mudg liad 
six acres on the same condition. Some of these persons re- 
ceived land in the distribution of liockanum lands, as will be 
shown. 

In 1642 Edward Elmer was given two acres of swamp on 
this side the great river, in excliange for a small piece of 
ground taken from his house-lot in Hartford. 

Large grants of timber land were made to men of means to 
encourage the erection of mills on the Hockanum River and 
on other streams, as will be seen in the chapter on industries. 

Hogs and swine were early restricted on this side. In 1641, 
" to preserve corn and meadow no hoggs or swine " were to 
be put over on the east side for one year, and all at present 
there were to be removed. The meadows were afterwards 
fenced to protect them from the swine and cattle which were 
allowed in the " wilderness " east of them. In 1644 a com- 
mittee was chosen to view the land and appoint a fence along 
the swamp up to Podunk. Six years later a fence was ordered 
" abought " the Indian lands at Podunk, from the river to the 
upland, at the charge of the owners of the land within (south 
of) the fence. Those that had swamp were to fence across 
their lots next to the woodland (upland), and those that had 
meadow were to carry on the fence in a straight line. In 
1665 the inhaJjitants of the east side were freed from fencing 
their lands ; in 1669 all improved and improvable land was to 
be fenced according to law, and the selectmen were to have 
oversight of the matter. 

A meeting of the proprietors of the swamp and meadow 
in Jan. 1683, voted that a fence be maintained so far northward 



44 HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 

as the Indians' land ; Wm. Williams, Joseph Easton, and 
William Pitkin were to adjust the matter. 

An apportionment of Hockanum meadow fence was made 
in 1686, a list of the names of proprietors and the number of 
rods set to each is jn-eserved (Town and Lands, vol. 1, p. 225.) 
Mention is made in it of the " town farm," meaning probaljly 
land used by the town for farming purposes on this side of 
the river. 

Fence viewers for both the Hockanum meadow and the 
Podunk meadows were chosen in 1687, and regularly there- 
after. 

Mr. AV. S. Porter (Historical Notices, 1842,) says of our 
meadow that it was sometimes called Hockanum, from the 
southern to the northern boundary of the town. If tliis is 
true, the designation prevailed but a short time ; pn^bably 
until about 1660, when it appears that the boggy land, next the 
meadow hill, had not been divided with the meadow lots, and 
a petition res]>ecting " Hockanum waste land " was before 
the General Court. It was ordered that the proprietors 
appoint a time to lay this land out according to the grants as 
they had in court agreed to do. But it was not divided until 
the upland was distributed in 1666. 

The upland had been ordered divided in 1640-1, when it 
was voted that "-y*^ upland of ye East side of y-' Greattc River 
from Potuncke Ri^■er to Pewter Pot River, shal Ije divided to 
ye thre miles end: y^ is to saye, half a mile of it messered 
& staked & e'-'' mannes proportion to rune up y** Ciuittry to y*^ 
3 miles end." A committee was appointed to "• survey y^ 
ground of y^ east side of the Greate River & estimate ye 
ground for ye goodness & ye equalittye, and if they can 
accord to set out the division betwixt the two sides, other- 
wise report how they judge the sides may be best suted." 
But no division was made until June 12, 1B66. Then the 
order of the division was determined by lot, it having i)een 
agreed that " the first lots drawn should ly next Windsor 
[South Windsor] bounds, and so successivelye ; and that the 
wast land [meadow bogs] shall })elong to those lotts of up- 
land against home it doth lye." It had also been agreed that 
the line between the north and the south sides should be in 



EARLY OCCUPANCY. 



45 



the midst of the ground to he set out ; those on the nortli to 
liave all the waste land that fell in their division without the 
line, as the inhabitants of the south side were to have th(>irs, 
"■ they having already given 2-1 acres near Hockanuni [wund 
l)ecause their division is so juuch more." The extra live 
acres in every hundred was allowed those on the north side, 
as had been voted. 

" The upland on the east side y River. The Lotts Fell 
in this order : 



Acres. 


A 


cres. 


" Caltib Stanley, 


108 


Steven Post, 


00 


(Sold T. Buniaui.) 


* 


(Recorded to the Biinces.) 


Jolin Marsli, 


72 


Rich'd Webb & } 


126 


'J'ho : Blachley, 


12 


John Higginson, ' 


(Sold T. Buniain.) 




(To JJarth. Barnard.) 


Will. Hide, 


GO 


Wm. llayden, 


42 


(Sold S. Gayiieb.) 




(Recorded to Mr. Olco 


tt.) 


Tlio : Spencer, 


45 


Wid. Betts, 


12 


(Sold M. W .) 




Jolin Piircas, 


18 


John Warner, 


18 


John Skinner, 


(Hi 


liob't Wade, 


18 


John Barnard, 


72 


RicLVl Church, 


00 


John Olmsted, 


12 


AVni. Pratt, 


24 


Dan'l Garrad, 


18 


Tho : Standley, 


13G 


Mr.f Stone, 


120 


(Sold Caleb Standley.) 


Nich : Clarke, 


39 


JMr. Alcott, 


00 










Wm. Phillips, 


24 


(Sold 30 acres.) 






Tlio : Stanton, 


48 


Wm. Callsey, 


48 


(Sold 30 acres.) 




(Sold to Mr. Philips 


) 


John Allyn, 


200 


Jolm Maynard, 


42 


(Recorded.) 




Wm. Wadsworth, 


15G 


Mi:\ John Crowe, 


500 


(Recorded.) 




(Recorded.) 




Rich'd Goodman, } 


120 


Tho : Barnes, 


18 


Edward Elmer, \ 




lioVt Day, 


42 


(00 acres sold to Jos. Easoii.) 


Sam" Hall, 


24 


Natli" Kelloge, 


18 


(Sold Sara Crook. 




(Sold to Mr. Phillips 


) 


Tho : Hall, 


30 


James Olmsteed, | 


2G4 


John Hallaway, 


18 


Thomas Bimce, i 




Edw'd Stebbins, 




Wm. Parker, 


36 


Seth Grant, 




Natli' Marvin, 


90 




270 


([Last two] Sold to M 


r. 


Tho : Scott| & 




Pitkin & Wm. Goodw 


n.) 


John Bidwell, 




Benja: Mann, 


24 



Acres. 

18 
:50 



114 



126 



n 



Benja: Burr, 
Richard Olmsted, 
Wm. Pitkin for 
Wid. Spencer & 
Tho : Root, j 

(Sold Widow Spencer's 90 
acres to Rich'd Case; 34 acres 
of this sold to John Bidoll.) 
Nath' Ely, GO 

(Sold to Bidoll.) 
John Biddoll fur | 
John Clark, 
Tho: Woodford, 
Jolin Genings, J 
Nich : Disbroe, 

(Sold John Meekins.) 
Wm. Cornwell, 24 

Wm. Ruscoe, 105 

Nath' Barding, 18 

(Sold .John Meekins.) 
Tho : Birchwood, 78 
John Pratt, 84 

Mr.t Wm. West- 
wood, 240 
John Pantry, | ^^^^^ 

Steven Hart, i 

Mr. Crows second di- 
vision goes from that 
to tlie divident lyne 
lietween the North and 
south side of the riv- 
er." 



* The notes given in parenthesis were entered afterward in the margin 
of the original record, 
f "Mr." — a title of distinction at this time. 
I Probably " Scott's Swamp " was named after him. 



46 



HISTORY OP EAST HARTFORD. 



As is indicated by the number of lots almost immediately 
sold by the original grantees to other persons, few of those 
who drew lots came this side of the river to settle. Some, 
however, held their lands, and if they themselves did not 
settle upon them, their descendants did, and some of their 
names are prominent among those of our towns people to- 
day. 

In regard to the division of the land south of the " divident 
line " no certain record exists. In the book for the record 
of town votes, under date of 1640, occurs the following list. 
It is without heading, or notes of any kind. But of its sixty- 
four names, tifty-one are of known residents of the south side 
of Hartford in 1640, and it contains also most of the names 
of those granted land about Hockanum pound in that year. 

Whether it is a list of the proprietor's proportions, or a 
record of an actual distribution, we do not undertake to say. 

In any event, some of the persons named w^ere actual set- 
tlers on these lands, where their descendants are living to-day. 
The list is in two columns, and is as follows : 



Mr. Haynes, 


200 


Richard Butler, f 


16 


Mr. Wyllys, 


200 


Arthur Smith, 


14 


Mr. Hopkins, 


130 


John Base, 


14 


Mr. Wells, * 


100 


Thomas Richards, 


■ 8 


Mr. Webster, 


100 


Thomas Blysse, sr., 


6 


Mr. Whiting, 


100 


Thomas Blysse, jr., 


6 


Andrew Warner,' 


84 


.John Hall, 


6 


Mr. Hooker, 


80 


Geoi'ge Hubbard, 


6 


Thomas Osiner, 


58 


Edward Lay [Leary?], 


6 


Nathaniel Warde, 


56 


Thomas Gridlcy, 


6 


John Hopkins, 


• 26 


John Sables lott. 


6 


George Grave, 


24 


Richard Watts,* 


8 


William Gibbons, 


22 


Wm. Wesley, 


8 


Thomas Judd, t 


25 


Henry Wakley, 


6 


Wm. Hill, 


20 


John White, 


50 


Geo. Btockinge, 


20 


Mr. Gullet [Culick?J, 


58 


Joseph Magatt, 


20 


Wm. Andrews, 


58 


John Arnold, 


16 


Samuel Wakman, 


35 


Wm. Blumiield, 


16 


Jeremy Addams, 


30 



* These, and others sold to Edward Andrews, who lived near Dowd's 
grove prior to 1678. 

f " Sold to T. Hosmer," — marginal note in original. 



EARLY OCCUPANCY. 



47 



Richard Lyman, dec'd, 
Gregorjf Wilterton, 
Andrew Bacon, 
George Steele, 
James Ensigne, 
John Wilcox, 
Thos. Bull, 
Wm. Holton, 
Francis Andrews, 
Mr. Coale, 

Joseph Esson [Easton], 
Richard Rislcy, 
[Rob. Ba]rtlett,* 
[Thomas] Selden, 



30 
28 
28 
26 
24 
3G 
14 
12 
20 
12 
10 



6 



[Paul Peck,] 
[Gyles Smith,] 

t 
James Wakley, 
Richard Billinge, 
Thomas Porter, 
John Perce lott, 
Jolin Latimer, 
Wm. Watts, 
James Bridgman, 
Mr. John Moody, 
Samuel Gardner, 
Ralph Keeler, 



4 
6 
4 
4 
4 
4 
8 

40 
4 

66 



* These, and others sold to Edward Andrews, who lived near Dowd's 
grove prior to 1678. 

f " Sold to T. Hosmer," — marginal note in original. 



SETTLERS AND INHABITANTS. 



CHAPTER III. 

1648-1800. 



The growth of the town of Hartford was, from the first, 
steady and sure. It received important accessions to the 
numl)er of its inhabitants, families of education and means ; 
and the work of building houses — new homes for souls at 
last free to order their lives as they would, — of clearing lands, 
making roads and bridges, went rapidly on. They broke up 
the fat soil of the meadows for their crops, and built mills 
with which to prepare lumber for their buildings, and to grind 
their grain for food. Amidst all their toil they had to be con- 
stantly watchful against the wily and treacherous Indians ; 
and the momentous questions involved in the establishment 
of a new church and a new state had to be discussed and acted 
upon. It is not surprising that idleness and vagabondage 
were not encouraged at that time. 

With the increase of population came a demand for more 
territory, and houses were soon built upon this side the Great 
River. It is impossible to ascertain the names of all the early 
settlers upon this side, or the exact date of their building here. 
In May, 1653, the inhabitants were exempted from training 
with the west side towns, and ordered to meet on the east 
side, as Will : Hill shall ap})oint, and train there together, and 
so continue. This indicates a permanent population here at 
that time. From among the names upon the monument 
erecied to the first settlers of Hartford in the old Center Bury- 
ing Ground in that city, we take the following of those who 
either settled on this side the Great River, or who were asso- 
ciated with the early history of our territory : 



SETTLERS AND INHABITANTS. 49 

John Crow was one of the first settlers and one of the orig- 
inal proprietors of our soil. He was a large land-owner and 
lived near the site of the late Ozias Roberts homestead, — an 
old unused well remaining there to-daj. He owned a tract 
of land extending from near the present Hockanum bridge 
north to the neio'hborhood of " Smith's lane," and runnins; 
eastward to the end of the three-mile lots. Crow Hill, in the 
river swamp, still retains his name. He married Elizabeth 
Goodwin, only daughter of William Goodwin. With his 
father-in-law he bought 776 acres of land on this side of the 
river in 1639, a tract bounded west by the boggy meadow 
" and continueth east unto the east end of the Hartford 
bounds," — three miles. William Goodwin also bought adja- 
cent lands, with mill privileges, still used for manufacturing 
purposes, at Burnsidc. Mr. Crow and William Pitkin were 
the committee who laid out the four-rod highway ordered near 
the meadow hill, through all the lots from Windsor to Weth- 
ersfield (now Glastonbury) in 1640. A servant of his was 
fined for drunkenness in 1639. Mr. Crow served on a jury 
in 1647. His house was one of those garrisoned for safety 
from the Indians in 1675. He sold out his interest (one- 
third) in a corn and grist mill near the site of the present 
Hamner & Forbes mill in 1686, and went with William Good- 
win to Hadley to live. His sons subsequently returned, and 
John Crow was appointed hayward of Podunk meadow in 
1711, and Nathaniel Crow, Jr., was collector of the Ecclesias- 
tical Society in 1761. They afterwards sold their lands. 
John Crow was an ancestor of Elisha Pitkin, Esq., whose 
house is still standing a few rods northeast of the site of Mr. 
Crow's early homestead. He died in 1685. 

John Bidwell, one of the first settlers of Hartford, had a 
tan yard on an island in what is now Bushnell Park in Hart- 
ford. His house-lot was on the east side of Trumbull street, 
near Pearl, in that city, in 1640. With Joseph Bull he built 
a saw mill on " Saw Mill River" (now Hockanum river), in 
1669. They were granted 240 acres in the next commons for 
timber for their mill in 1671. He shared with three others 
7 



50 HISTORY OP EAST HARTFORD. 

in a tract of 270 acres in the distribution of 1666, — probably 
lying along Burnside avenue (once Bidwell's lane), upon 
which his descendants settled, — and he bought 24 acres of 
widow Spencer and Thomas Root. He is set down as a free- 
man in the list of 1669. 

Richard Risley was one of the first settlers of Hartford, 
and an original proprietor. He had a house and lot near the 
north end of Washington street in 1640. He afterwards came 
to Hockanum and settled near Willow Brook. He died 
about the year 1648. A copy of the inventory of his estate 
was recorded in Volume I of the Colonial Records, and is of 
such interest as an index to the possessions of our ancestors 
that we give it entire. 

" A true and perfect Inventory of the goods and chattells 
of Richard Rissley, late of Hockanum, deceased. 



Jn the yurde, Imp", two milch cows and a heifer, - 

Item, 3 heifere, 9Z., aud one steare, 3Z., 

Item, one Bull and two young Bullocks, 6Z. ; one 

calfe, 20«., ----- 

Item, one steare, 5?., one spotted hogg, 50s., 
Item, 3 sowes, 4Z., younge hoggs, OZ. ; G stores, 4Z., 

and 6 shotes, 3Z., - - - - 

///- the Hall: Item, 1 muskitt. 15.s'., and one sword, 

7s., - - - - 

Item, 2 frying pans, Gs., and one kettle, lG.s\, 
Item, 1 kettle, 13s. Ad.^ and one small kettle, 3s., - 
Item, 1 posnett, 2s. GcZ. ; one iron pott, 7s., 
Item, one small iron pot, 3s. ; pot hook and tram- 

mells, 4s., - 

Item, 3 platters and a plate, 8s., one ]iewter ])ott, 3s., 
Item, 1 pewter cupp, 12^?.; six spoones, 12*i., earth- 
en-ware, 7s., - 
Item, 2 payles, 2s. Q)d.\ 2 old payles, 12^7., - 
Item, 2 Indian trayes, 4.s.; 2 platters, 2 bowles and 

dishes, 3s., . . . . . 

Item, 1 great wooden platter, 2s., 1 lattin dripping 

pann, 18(?., - - - . - 

Item, 1 paire of bellowes, 2,v.; one joined table and 

formes, 10s., - 
Item, 2 chaires, 38.; 1 childes chaire, 18<Z.; a forme, 

U., ------ 



£. 


8. 


d. 


14. 


0. 


0. 


12. 


0. 


0. 


7. 


0. 


0. 


7. 


10. 


0. 


20. 


0. 


0. 


1. 


2. 


0. 


1. 


2. 


0. 


1. 


2. 


0. 


0. 


16. 


4. 


0. 


9. 


G. 


0. 


7. 


0. 


0. 


11. 


0. 


0. 


9. 


0. 


3. 


6. 


0. 


0. 


7. 


0. 


0. 


3. 


6. 


0. 


12. 


0. 


0. 


5. 


0. 



£. 


s. 


d. 


0. 


1. 


6. 


0. 


16. 


4. 


0. 


6. 


0. 


0. 


'). 


8. 


0. 


12. 


0. 


0. 


10. 


0. 


5. 
1. 
4. 


10. 

15. 

0. 


0. 
0. 
0. 



SETTLERS AND INHABITANTS. 51 



Item, 6 trenchers, a scummer, a cleansing dish, & 

cliaffing dish, - - - - - 

Item, 1 smoothing iron, 12^/.; 1 great Bible, I8s. id.; 

1 small BiV^le, 2.s'., . - . _ 
Item, 1 narrow axe, lis.; a broad axe, 2«.; a hatch- 

ett, 12d., ----- 

Item, 1 handsaw, 12^/.; 1 liammer, 8d.; 2 augurs 
and a beetle ring, 2.s'., - - - - 

Item, 1 charne, ?>s., 1 coule, o«.; 1 keeler, 2s.; 1 pow- 
dering tubb, [3s. I, - 

Item, 2 beare barrills, 5s.; I powdering trough, 4s.; 

2 payles, 12d., _ - . . _ 
III the parlour : Item, 1 bedsted, lOs.; a featherbed, 

strawbed & 2 boulsters, 5?., - . - 

Item, 1 pillow, 5s.; 1 paire blanketts, 30s., - 

Item, ciirtaines, 20s.; 3 paire new sheets, 'Si., 

Item, 6 yards of lynsy wooUsy, 12s.; a flock bed and 
boulster, 30s., ----- 

Item. 1 paire of blanketts, 15s.: 1 cradle, 2s.; 3 pil- 
lows, 8s., _ _ - - . 

Item, 3 pillow beeres, and a warming pann. 

Item, wearing clothes, and mony in his purse, 

Item, 3 chests and a box, 12s.; a hogshead & meale 
tubbs, 6s., - 

Item, 1 peece of sole leather, 

Jn the chamber : Item, one fann, 6s.; one great In- 
dian bagg, 4s., ----- 

Item, 6"" of hopps, 4s. (uL; rough hemp, 10s., 

Item, 3 baggs, 3s., & 1 spade, 2s.; a corne baskitt, 
12d, ------ 

Item, 1 saw, 1 old sithe, 7s.; 1 iron bayle & old 
how, 12(Z., ----- 

Item, halfe a bushel, - . - . 

In the Barne: Item, 55 bush: wheate, 

Item, 40 bush : of pease and rye, - - - 

Item, 15 bush : of Indian corne. 

Item, a Howse at Hartford, with the homelott, 4 
akers of swamp, and 2 of woodland, - 

" John Cullick, " Totall sum is 

" Will : Gibbens. 

"There are 3 children, viz.: one daughter, by name Sarah 
Rissly, betweene 7 and 8 yeares old; one sonne, by name 
Samnell Rissly, aljout 2 yeares old ; and one sonn, by name 
Rich : Rissly, about 3 months old. 



1. 


5. 


0. 


0. 


15. 


0. 


3. 


0. 


0. 


0. 


18. 


0. 


0. 


3. 


0. 


0. 


10. 


0. 


0. 


14. 


6. 



0. 


8. 


0. 


0. 


2. 


0. 


11. 


0. 


0. 


6. 


0. 


0. 


1. 


10. 


0. 


26. 


0. 


0. 


135. 


5. 


10. 



62 HISTORY OP EAST HARTFORD. 

" The distribution of the estate by the Courte, the 7th of 
Decembs 1648, is : To the 8 cluldren, 161. a peece, to bee ip^ 
to the daughter at the age of 18 y cares, and to the sonns at 
the age of 21 years. William Hill bringing of y" vpp to write 
and read, and giuing security to the Courte for the payment 
of the seuerall childrens portions." 

Richard Risley, Jr., was made a freeman in 1669. An 
agreement about a division line between him and Samuel 
Wells was signed in 1705. 

William Hills had a house and lot in Hartford near the 
corner of Front and Sheldon streets in 1610. He early came 
to Hockanum to live. He was captain of the first train band 
this side the river in 1653 ; was nominated for a freeman in 
1661 ; was shot by the Indians in 1675 ; and was listed 
among the south side freemen in 1669. He is supposed to 
have lived east of Main street, and south of Willow Brook, 
about 80 rods south of Mr. D. Overton's; although one tra- 
dition claims that he first settled north of the old Hockanum 
school-house. He died, 1683. 

The foregoing names are upon the monument to the first 
settlers of Hartford. Possibly to them should be added the 
name of Thomas Spencer, who died in 1687. He is included in 
a list of first settlers arranged by Capt. Charles H. Olmsted. 
Other names of settlers who came later, or of the descend- 
ants of the first settlers, taken from the early records of the 
town and colony, or given on the authority of Mr. W. S. 
Porter, (Historical Notices,) are as follows : 

Edward Andrews was made a freeman in 1657. He 
settled near Dowd's Grove. He bought land of John Crow, 
adjoining his own on the north ; also of Thomas Wells, 
Richard Watts, Robert Bartlett and others, original proprie- 
tors in the south side lands. He was an ancestor of the Treat, 
Warren, Williams families, and the land bought by him is 
still owned by his descendants.* Traces of habitations still 

* Edward Andrews died ia 1678. His daughter, Sarah, married Henry 
Treat ; his other daughter, Mary, married Wra. Warren. His son, Solo- 
mon, had one daughter, who married Timothy Williams. 



SETTLERS AND INHABITANTS, 53 

remain on " Pigeon Hill," just east of the grove. A road 
was ordered laid out from the mouth of the Hockanum River, 
southerly and then easterly, over a bridge (on Willow Brook ?) 
■■' that was made by Edward Andrews," along the north side 
of widow Andrews' orchard, and finally to run to the end 
of Hartford bounds. This was in 1679. The course of the 
road cannot certainly be determined, but is supposed to have 
passed easterly, south of Willow Brook, coming upon Main 
street just north of the house of Mr. Ralph Ensign. 

Thomas Burnham, a sturdy character in our early annals, 
went first to the Barbadoes, but came to Hartford before 
1656. He was elected a constable that year, and made a 
freeman in 1657. He practised before the courts as an 
attorney the following year. About the year 1659, with 
Jacob Mygatt, he l)ought a large tract of land of Tantinorao, 
the " one-eyed " sachem of the Podunks. No record appears 
of this purchase, and it was treated as a mere lease of the 
land by the courts. Much trouble arose because of the dif- 
ferences about it, and Burnham had finally to buy out the 
rights of those who derived title from the distribution of 
1666. This matter is treated more fully in the chapter on 
the Indians. 

In 1662 Burnham fearlessly undertook to defend Abigail 
Betts, a school mistress of Hartford, who was accused of 
blasphemy. She was found guilty, and sentenced to ascend 
the ladder to the gallows with a rope about her neck, " to the 
open view of spectators that all Israeli may hear and fear." 
Burnham, for his temerity in defending so heinous an offence, 
was sternly reprimanded by the court ; and, although he 
cleverly defended himself, lost his freedom for three years, 
as well as his privilege of pleading before the courts. Thomafe 
Burnham's house is said to have stood on the land now owned 
by Mr. John A. Burnham, and nearly opposite the liouse of 
Mr. Julius Burnham. In 1675 this house was garrisoned 
against the Indians. Thomas Burnham's large tracts of land 
were increased in 1684, when Joshua, by his will gave him 
and fourteen others a large tract of land leaching from the 



54 HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 

Bolton hills on the west to Williniantic River on the east. 
He died in 1688, and his descendants still occupy a good part 
of his lands in this town. 

William Pitkin, the progenitor of the Pitkin family in 
our town, was one of the most prominent of our early settlers. 
A man of education, intelligence, and sagacity, he was of use 
not only to our neighborhood, but to the colony at large. He 
is said to have settled here in 1659. In 1660 liberty was 
given him to teach school in Hartford, and a house was hired, 
and eight pounds were voted to him l)y the town to encourage 
him in the work. Each scholar, also was to send a load of 
wood within a month after " Michimas," or pay three shillhigs 
for procuring wood. Mr. Pitkin was made a freeman in 
1662, and appointed attorney for the court to prosecute cer- 
tain persons. In 1664 lie was made attorney to implead any 
delinquents in the colony. With Bartholomew Barnard lie 
bought out Jacol) Mygatt's interest in the Poduiik lands in 
1666, about which a dispute arose with Thomas Burnham, 
Mygatt's partner, in which the court decided in his favor, 
Pitkin also, in company with William Goodwin, l)ought out 
the shares of William Parker and Nathaniel Marvin, 126 
acres, in the original distribution of lands here. In 1667 he 
petitioned with Thomas Wells that the people this side might 
l»e freed from fencing their meadows. He was one of the dep- 
uties to the General Court from Hartford in 1675 ; was treas- 
urer of the Colony in 1676, and also in 1677. In April, 1676, 
he was appointed with Mr. Samuel Willys '^ to go to New York 
and to present the governor with .... a letter from the 
Council, a copy whereof is on file ; and also, sundry instruc- 
tions were given them to desire Gov Andross to engage the 
Mohawks against our Indian enemies, and to grant them leave 
to go up to Albany to speak with the Mohawks, &c., as per 
the instructions on file will appear." This errand brought 
no satisfactory result, because Governor Andross in a rather 
unneighborly communication did not recognize the agents as 
sufficiently " authorized or empowered to treat or conclude, 
by said Council's letter or otherwise that appears." 



SETTLERS AND INHABITANTS. 55 

Mr. William Pitkin came to live upon this side of the 
great river between the years 1659 and 1666. He built his 
house on the meadow hill, a few rods north of the present 
New York & New England Railroad. In 1683 he was 
chosen hayward of the east side meadow, with power to 
appoint a substitute. 

Stephen Davis is put down as a resident here in Porter's 
Notices. His first appearance on the records, in 1G46, indi- 
cates a lawless spirit. With others he was fined five pounds 
for " breaking into Will' Gybbins his howse drynking wyne," 
and was })ut under bonds for further good behavior. He was 
made a freeman in 1658. 

William Warren early came to Hartford and was made 
free in 1665. He afterwards settled this side of the Great 
River, a little soutli of the Hockanum, on Main street. 

Samuel Gaines appears on the records in 1667. He 
bought William Hide's grant of 60 acres. He was collector 
of the Ecclesiastical Society in 1702 ; and was called Sergeant 
in 1751, when a school was to be kept between his house and 
Alexander Keeney's. 

Lieut. John Meakins was a freeman (north side) in 1669 ; 
was collector of the Ecclesiastical Society in 1708 ; and one 
of the committee who were appointed to ask f(H- town privi- 
leges for the east side people in 1726. The Meakin apple 
was named from some of liis family. He bought land of 
original grantees — of Nich: Disbroe 18 acres; of Nath' Bar- 
ding 18 acres. 

Richard Case was made a. freeman in 1671. He bought 
land of widow Spencer and Thomas Root, who were original 
distributees — 114 acres. He was hayward of Hockanum 
meadow in 1715. His wife was Elizabeth Purcase, daughter 
of John. 

Thomas Trill was a soldier in the Narragansett war. 
Tradition says that his was the first grave made in our Center 



56 HISTORY OP EAST HARTFORD. 

Burying Ground. He was drowned while ci'ossing the Hock- 
anum river during a freshet. His grave is unmarked and 
unknown. In 1675, during the Indian alarms, for " unsea- 
sonable shooting of his gun," he was fined five shillings. In 
May, 1676, he was allowed 50 shillings, " for 'damages he 
suffered in his corn by creatures when he went forth in the 
country's service." He owned land next north of William 
Roberts' tract. 

Obadiah Wood was also a soldier in the Narragansett war. 
His grave-stone in the Center Burying Ground bears the 
oldest date of any there — April 17, 1712. At a meeting 
of the Council, Jan. 22, 1676, it was voted: "Obadiah Wood 
is granted fower pownds and his cure, (and Goodwife Sand- 
ford twenty shillings for what he did for her,) of his wound 
he recc^." 

William Buckland lived here in 1679, on the site of the 
present Buckland homestead on the meadow hill on the 
corner of Mill and Prosi)ect streets. His lot is mentioned 
in the lay-out of the North Meadow Road in that year. He 
was collector of the Ecclesiastical Society in 1711, and after- 
wards school committee, etc. 

John Dix owned land in Hockanum in 1679, on the pro- 
posed lay-out of the road from tlie mouth of the Hockanum 
to the end of Hartford bounds. He was collector of tlie 
Ecclesiastical Society, 1703. 

John Easton lived in the meadow. In 1684 he sold land 
for the west end of the North Meadow Road to the town ; 
his house is mentioned in connection with the road in 1702. 
He afterwards exchanged meadow for upland with Richard 
Burnham, without giving deeds ; and in 1726 his administra- 
tors were empowered by the General Assembly to draw the 
requisite papers, it being stated that Easton had in his life- 
time built a house and barn on said upland, — probably in 
Burnside. John Easton was son of Joseph Easton, one of 
the original settlers of Hartford, who lived on or near Elm 
street in 1640, and who l)ought land on this side of one of 



SETTLERS AND INHABITANTS. 57 

the original grantees — Richard Goodman, — and was one of 
the committee on fencing the meadow in 1683. 

James Forbes joined in an agreement in regard to the 
road sonth and east from the " fulling mills " (now Bnrn- 
side), through his land toward Bolton line, in 1726. He 
gave his daughter, Dorothy, and her husljand, William Roberts, 
six acres of land adjoining his own in 16(S8. 

William Roberts was an early settler. With his wife, 
Dorothy Forbes, he bought land, adjoining his own, of 
Nathaniel Crow, in 1688. He lived on the Meadow hill, 
south of the present Bridge Road, and near the foot of 
" Smith's lane," now so called ; his cellar hollow is still to be 
seen there. He deeded all his land to his son, Benjamin 
Roberts, in 1729. 

Timothy Cowles appears in the records in 1695. He 
owned a three-mile lot, part of which was taken in the high- 
way laid out from Richard Oilman's (north of Oilman's 
Brook) easterly in 1734. He was collector of the Ecclesias- 
tical Society, in 1701, and a deacon in 1718. His wife was 
Hannah Pitkin. 

The following are also named among the earlier settlers 
upon this side by W. S. Porter (Historical Notices). The 
date appended is that of their first appearance upon the 
records : Thomas Atkins, 1682 * (there were two persons of 
the name of Atkins here in 1708) ; George Ash, 1682 ; 
Richard Blanchard, 1682 ; Thomas Blachley, 1650 ; Benja- 
min Beven, 1689 ; Josiah Dibble, 1693 ; Richard Keency, 
1673 ; Sarah Crook, 1672 (bought Samuel Hall's original 
grant of 24 acres); Philip More, 1693 (owned land in Hock- 
anum). 

John Hills was son of William Hills, the first settler, 
who, in 1676, gave him 31 acres and four rods of land in 
Hockanum. He was surveyor for Hockanum in 1687. 

*He married Jane Williams, dau<Thter of William, about 1070. 



58 HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 

Nathaniel Goodwin bought land of John Crow in 1684, — 
a tract 34 rods wide, and one of the three-mile " long lots " ; 
also, two acres of meadow land. He did not live this side. 
His son, 

John Goodwin (afterwards deacon), bought six acres of 
meadow in 1703 of John Pantry, and ui)land of his own 
brother, Nathaniel Goodwin, Jr. John was the first Goodwin 
who came here to live, and settled on Main street near the 
present Center Burying-Ground. He joined in a deed of the 
road north of Gilman's Brook, toward Bolton, in 1744. He 
was grandson of Ozias Goodwin, ancestor of the Goodwin 
family, and one of the first settlers of Hartford. 

Thomas Cadwell took a lease of the ferry across the 
Great River in 1681, and was to " kee])e the ferry for seven 
years." It was leased to him again in 1687, for seven years 
longer, and after his death it was carried on by his widow. 
John Cadwell was a resident here in 1729, and was one of 
those who joined in deeding Silver Lane to the town in 1731. 

Joseph Bull, who took the freeman's oath in 1667, proba- 
bly did not settle on this side. With John Bidwell he owned 
a saw-mill in what is now Burnside, with a large grant of 
land for timber for their mill. Thomas Bull had 200 acres 
granted him "on the east of the great river near the cedar 
swamp," in 1684, probably for the same purpose. He was a 
fence viewer for Hockaimm meadow in 1699. 

Thomas Oloott, Jr., grandson of one of the original settlers 
of Hartford, settled on Hop Brook in the "Five Miles" (now 
Manchester). [A Mr. Olcott had bought 42 acres of land of 
William Hayden, an original distributee of the three-mile 
tract, now P]ast Hartford, sometime subsequent to the year 
1666.] Thomas Olcott was auditor of the Ecclesiastical 
Society in 1703. He was appointed to keep a house of enter- 
tainment by the General Court in 1711 ; was a lieutenant in 
1718 ; and, in 1720, was chosen witli (Japt. Roger Pitkin to 
manage the first schools instituted this side of the Great 
River in Hartford. His descendants live at Hop Brook 
to-day. 



SETTLERS AND INHABITANTS. 59 

William Williams was made free in 1654. He was a 
cooper, and lived in Hartford. In 1658 he was permitted 
" to dispose of liis servant youth, Math: Young, to another 
sutal)le master " ; and said Matthew did discharge him from 
his engagement to teach him the trade of a cooper. Mr. 
WilHams owned a; large tract of land on this side the Great 
River, next to Windsor bounds. This l)Oundary was a long 
time in dispute, and was finally so altered l)y the Court as to 
cut off a large tract of land from Thomas Burnham's and 
William Williams' possessions, and to give it to the Windsor 
settlers. This loss was made up to their heirs in 1730, l)y a 
grant of -jOO acres in the Five Miles, a tract 160 rods wide 
and running along Windsor hounds 300 rods. He married 
Jane Westover in 1647. 

William Warren, who married Mary Andrews, is said to 
have settled in Hockanum in 1664. 

Thus far we have treated only those settlers who appear 
upon the records prior to the formation of the Third Ecclesi- 
astical Society of Hartford, on this side of the river, in 1694. 
The records of this society, after the year 1699, are full and 
complete, affording a comparatively firm footing to the seeker 
who has been groping with l)affled curiosity in the general 
records of the town of Hartford and of the Colony. By tliis 
path we enter the domain of the certain, the Society, though 
ecclesiastical in designation, having had a breadth of jurisdic- 
tion that included the management of schools, roads, bridges, 
burying-grounds, ministers, meeting-houses, and all the close- 
at-home affairs of our people. We have thought best to copy 
from the records all of the names which prominently appear 
upon them prior to 1800, giving the date of their first appear- 
ance, and signifying l)y al)breviati(jns or otherwise the most 
important connection in which they are mentioned, and some- 
times introducing facts from other sources : 

Ahhey^ John,* 1710, joined in deed of Silver Lane, 1731. — 
John, Jr., collector, 1748. — Stephen, collector, 1755. — Nehe- 
miah, collector, 1768. — Eleazer. — Eliphalet. — Jedathan. 

* He bought eight acres of Benjamin Hills in 1718. He died Oct. 30, 
1790, aged 109 years! 



60 HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 

Adams, William, preached 1742. 

Adkhis, Charles, 1708.— B., 1711. 

Andross, Widow Elizabeth, 1714. 

Anderson, Ashbel, 1773. — Asahel, 1785. 

Arnold, Henry, Jr., coll., 1707. — John, 1715. — Henry, coll., 
1745. — Samuel, school com., 1781. 

Atherton, Samuel, 1744. 

Burnham, Thomas, 1714. — John, 1714. — Jonathan, coll., 
1723. — John, 2d, coll., 1726. — Ensign Samuel, com. to seat 
meeting-house, 1726. — Richard, Soc'y com., 1728. — ^Jabez, 
coll., 1738.— Elisha, coll., 1748.— Cornelius, coll., 1759.— 
Silas, coll., 1763. — Charles, seating com. for meeting-house, 
1764.— Moses, 1767.— David, 1769.— Ezra, 1776.— Gurdon, 
1781. — Samuel, school com., 1781. — Nathaniel, 1781.— Elea- 
zer, school com., 1785. — Roderick, 1791. — William, 1792. — 
Zenas, school com., 1793. 

Bemont, Meakins, coll., 1776. 

Blanchard, Timothy, 1773. 

Benton, Elisha, coll., 1775. (Author of seating rhymes.) 

Baxter, Alvin, 1740. 

Belden, Stephen, 1768 ; Nathan, Soc'y com., 1774 ; James, 
school com., 1795. 

Bowles, James, 1764. 

Bigelo'w, Daniel, coll., 1725 (deeded part of Burnside ave- 
nue, once Biglow's Lane, in 1725) ; William, 1773. 

Benjamin, Serg't John, coll., school com., 1714; Gideon, 
coll., 1756; Caleb, 1768; James, chorister to assist in tuning 
the psalms, 1784; Jonathan, school com., 1785. (Orchard 
street was once called Benjamin's Lane.) 

Bid'well, Daniel, constable, 1699 ; com. on forts, 1704; com. 
to call Mr. Woodbridge, 1704, etc.; John, seating com,, etc., 
1709; William, coll., 1734; John, Jr., Soc'y com., 1739; 
James, ratemaker, 1744 ; Daniel, Jr., coll., 1745 ; Dr. Joseph, 
1746; Roger, coll., 1754; Zebulon, coll., 1769 (killed in army, 
1777) ; Jonathan, coll., 1770 ; Elisha, school com., 1783 ; 
Rodolphus, school com., 1787 ; Samuel, 1787 ; Simeon, 1787 ; 
Eudias, 1791. 

Birt, Joseph, 1745. 



SETTLERS AND INHABITANTS. 61 

Bills, John, 1786. 

Buekland, William, school com., 1711 ; Charles, coll., 1712 ; 
Daniel, 1791. 

Boardman, Daniel, school com., 1784. 

Butler, Moses, 1783. 

Burr, Jonathan, school com., 1777. 

Case, Thomas, school com., 1787. 

Cadivell, John, 1729. 

Clark, Daniel, 1741 ; Doctor, school near house, 1751 ; 
Abraham, school com., 1789. 

Chandler, Samuel, 1788; Jonathan, school com., 1791. 

Cheeney, Benjamin, deeded land for Burnside avenue, 1726, 
coll. 1732 ; Timothy, coll., 1756. 

Church, Samuel, school com., 1792. 

Collins, IVIr. Nathaniel, paid for preaching, 1736. 

Cowles, Dea. Timothy, coll., 1701 ; Orrin, ratemaker, 1712 ; 
Dea. William, coll., 1722; Joseph, coll., 1728; William, Jr., 
school com., 1761 ; Eleazer, coll., 1758; Timothy, 1779; John, 
coll., 1779 ; Abijah, school com., 1776 ; Stephen, chorister, 
1791. 

Cotton, David, 1793. 

Crosby, David, 1777 (wrote Dr. Williams a caustic letter). 

Crow, Nathaniel, Jr., coll., 1761. 

Colt, Jonathan, 1709. 

Damon, Benjamin, school com., 1748 ; Benjamin, Jr., coll., 
1748. 

Dart, Jabez, coll., 1760. 

Deming, Timothy, 1764 ; Lemuel, 1781 ; Israel, school com., 
1792 ; Lemuel, Jr., 1794. 

Deliher, Samuel, school com., 1793. 

Dix, John, coll., 1703 ; John, Jr., 1703. 

Dickerson, Daniel, owned meeting4iouse site, 1720 ; Juhn, 
com. on Sunday ferry, 1730. 

Dike, John, 1729. 

Easton, Joseph, draft of votes l)y, 1701 ; James, school com., 
1705; Timothy, 1746 ; Silas, school near house, 1751 ; Abel, 
coll., 1769; Samuel, 1770; Abijah, 1777. 

Evans, Benoni, school com., 1795. 



62 HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 

Flagg, Dr. Samuel, Soc'y com., 1770 ; Samuel, Jr., 1791. 

Forbes^ Daniel, coll., 1609 ; David, com. on meeting-house, 
1703 ; William, Soc'y com., etc., 1744 ; Timothy, coll., 1762 ; 
Ensign Moses, Soc'y com., etc., 1763 ; Moses, 1784 : Edward, 
coll., 1769; Timothy, Jr., school com., 1775 ; Asa, 1774 ; Eli- 
jah, school com., 1786 ; Aaron, school com., 1789 ; David, 1792 ; 
Ichabod, 1793. 

i^oa;, Jeremiah, 1744; Zeniah,1770; Nicholas, school com., 
1795. 

Gains, Serg't Samuel, coll., 1702; Simon, coll., 1761. 

Gardivier, Samuel, 1745. 

6ri7?«aw, Richard, coll., 1706; Solomon, coll., 1706; John, 
school com., 1741 ; Richard, Jr., coll., 1 742 ; Elias, coll., 1751 ; 
Charles, school com., 1770 ; Eliphalet, 1773 ; George, school 
com., 1791 ; David, 1794; Ashhcl, school com., 1795. 

aUls, John, 1773. 

Goodwin, Dea. John, Soc'y com., etc., 1705; Caleb, coll., 
1748; Dea. John, 2d, seating com., 1781; Ricliard, coll., 
1784 ; Levi, school com., 1789. 

Griswold, Shubael, coll., 1790. 

Gruhb, Edward, 1784. 

JTazeH^ine, John, sold land for Silver Lane, 1731 ; arbitra- 
tor, 1724. 

Hale, Benoni, cords minister's wood, 1769. 

Hall, Timothy, school com., 1788. 

Hills, Lieut. Jonathan, com. on minister's house, 1699 ; com. 
on forts, 1704 ; Ebenezer, coll., 1706 ; Benjamin, 1715, sold 
land for Silver Lane, 1731 ; Lieut. John, school between his 
house and Samuel Wells's, 1738 ; Jonathan, Jr., coll., 1720 ; 
Capt. David, coll., 1724; David, 2d, coll., 1750; David, 
3d, coll., 1746; Jonathan, 3d, school com., 1764; Jona- 
than, 2d, coll., 1764; Ebenezer, school com., 1768; Ebene- 
zer, Jr., school com., 1770 ; Ashbel, coll., 1779 ; Elisha, school 
com., 1777; William, school com., 1782; Stephen, 1788; 
Daniel, 1788; Russell, 2d, 1791 ; Amos, school com., 1794; 
Asa, to settle with Dr. Williams about his salary, 1795 ; Abra- 
ham, school near his house, 1751. 

Holhert, John, coll., 1740. 



SETTLERS AND INHABITANTS. 63 

Hurlhurt, Lieut. John, school house, on line between his 
land and R. Woodbridge's, 1751; Samuel, school com., 1788. 

Jones, John P., 1774 ; David, 1774. 

Judson, Jonathan, 1768 ; Russell, school com., 1770. 

Keeney, ^Qvg't Joseph, coll., 1699; Richard, 1715; Alex- 
ander, school between his house and Serg-'t Samuel Gaines, 
1751 ; Benjamin, 1764; Joseph, 1790; Joseph, 2d, 1791. 

Kilbourn, Serg't, com. on minister's house, 1699 ; John, 
deeds land for Silver Lane, 1731 ; Thomas, coll., 1741 ; Rus- 
sell, 1766, com. on Sunday ferry; Stephen, 1791. 

Kennedy, Samuel, Soc'y com., 1782; John, com. on ferry, 
1795. 

Leffinywell, Hart, use of boat Sundays, 1765. 

Little, Lieut. David, school com., 1779 ; Deodat, school com., 
1784. 

Lester, Isaac, presents certificate that he is a Baptist, 1795. 

Loomis, Josiah, 1769. 

Marsh, Daniel, com. on dividing schools, 1766. 

McKee, Robert, coll., 1752 ; Nathaniel, coll., 1756. 

Meakin, Lieut. John, school com., etc., 1708; Lieut. Samuel, 
seating com., 1713 ; Joseph, to " fort burying place," 1713. 

Miller, Amariah, school com., 1790. 

Merrow, John, 1783 ; Elisha, 1784 ; Nathan, coll., 1787. 

Morton, Samuel, 1748. 

Mygatt, Jonathan, 1754. 

Newell, Rev. Mr., Jos. Pitkin paid 25 lbs. for his board, 
1741. 

Norton, Job, coll., 1764 ; Capt. Selah, com. to procure sing- 
ing master, 1772 ; Jabez, 1792. 

Olcott, Lieut. Thomas, Jr., com. on schools, etc., 1703 (see 
ante^; John, com. to call Mr. Woodbridge, 1704; Lieut. Na- 
thaniel, Soc'y com., 1743 ; Josiah, coll., 1744 ; Capt. Joshua, 
school com., 1761. 

Olmsted, Dea. Joseph, com. on meeting house, on forts, etc., 
1699-1704 (was a deacon of the First Society in Hartford, 
earlier). His wife was Elizabeth Butler; they were married 
about 1700. He was a grandson of James Olmsted, one of the 
first settlers of Hartford. Richard, ratemaker, 1706; Nehe- 



64 HISTORY OP EAST HARTFORD. 

miah, school com., 1721 ; James, school com., 1732; Jona- 
than, coll., 1733 ; Ashbel, coll., 1742; William, coll., 1744; 
Thaddeus, coll., 1745 ; Stephen, seating com., 1741 ; Nathan- 
iel, coll., 1753 ; Ashbel, school com., 1772 ; Isaac, school com., 
1779; George, school com., 1781; William, Jr., Soc'y com., 
1774 ; Aaron, coll., 1782 ; Benjamin, school com., 1782 ; Tim- 
othy, assistant chorister, 1781 ; Asahel, coll., 1782 ; Nathan- 
el, Jr., Soc'y com., 1784. 

Pratt, Jonathan, Soc'y meeting adjourned to his house in 
cold weather, 1730. He died in 1755, aged 72. Eliab, school 
com., 1763 ; Nathauiel, coll., 1785 ; Moses, 1781 : Eli, 1789. 

Polot, Samuel, 1715. 

Patterson, James, 1777. 

Philips, Peter, 1787 ; John, school com., 1794. 

Porter, Hezekiah, Sr., east side selectman, 1707 ; Hezekiah, 
com. on Hockanum school house, 1720; Isaac, coll., 1740; 
Timothy, Soc'y com., 1731 ; Timothy, Jr., school com., 1742 ; 
James, coll., 1733; Joseph, coll., 1732; David, coll., 1744; 
Benjamin, coll., 1767 ; Stephen, school com., 1779; William, 
school com., 1781 ; John, coll., 1788; James, coll., 1777 ; Job, 
coll., 1778. 

Pitkin, William, 2d, com. on minister's house, 1699 ; Capt. 
Roger, recorder, 1700 ; John, auditor, 1703 ; Capt. Ozias, 
com. on school-house, 1714 ; Joseph, ratemaker, 1717 ; Na- 
thaniel, school com., 1721 ; Gov'r William, 3d, clerk, 1718- 
1748 ; com. to reseat meeting house, 1754 ; Caleb, school com., 
1731 ; Samuel, repaired school house, 1736 ; Roger, Jr., coll., 
1736 ; Elislia, ratemaker, 1754 ; Epaphras, school com., 1784; 
John, clerk, 1758 ; Isaac, ratemaker, 1759 ; Joshua, coll., 
1760 ; Colonel William, com., 1761 ; William, Jr., coll., 1783 ; 
George, coll., 1750; Daniel, ratemaker, 1767; George, Jr., 
coll., 1779; Ashbel, clerk, 1783; Timothy, coll., 1793; 
David, school com., 1795; Daniel, Jr., school com., 1795. 

Rappanier, Asahel, 1785. 

Hitter, Thomas, 1748; Daniel, school com., 1792. 

Rislei/,Jo\m, 1701; Thomas, coll., 1706; Charles, 1710; 
Richard, Sr., 1712 ; Samuel, 1714 ; John, 3d, boat in Hood 
time, 1754; John, Jr., coll., 1756; Moses, school com., 1770; 
Job, school com., 1776 ; Elijah, school com., 1781 ; Jonathan, 



SETTLERS AND INHABITANTS. 65 

school com., 1785 ; Nathaniel, school com., 1789 ; George, 
2d, coll., 1792. 

Roberts^ William, com. on minister's house, 1703 ; Benja- 
min, coll., 1721, deeded land for Silver Lane, 1731 ; Joseph, 
coll., 1739; Samuel, Jr., coll., 1760; Timothy, school com., 
1781 ; Benjamin, Jr., coll., 1770 ; Eliphalet, school com., 
1775 ; Jonathan, school com., chorister, 1774 ; Thomas, school 
com., 1775 ; Stephen, Soc'y com., 1774 ; Elias, school com,, 
1785; William, 1788; George, school com., 1790; Aslibel, 
coll., 1791 ; Ephraim, 1791 ; John, 1792 ; Daniel, 1793 ; Eli, 
com. on psalmody, 1795. 

Robinson, John, 1708. 

Rood, Rev. John, preaches here, 1699. 

Stanley, Nathaniel, com. on school sites, 1720; Jonathan,* 
made a bier, 1737 ; William, died 1767, aged 56 — his wife 
was Clemence Olmsted — coll., 1741 ; IClisha, Soc'y com., 
1779 ; Jonathan, Jr.,t to cord wood for Dr. Williams, 1783 ; 
Theodore, school com., 1783; Ashhel, Soc'y com., 1787. 

Sage, Ozias, 1789 ; John, school com., 1793. 

Stedman, Joseph, 1708 ; Philemon, 1789. 

Spencer, John, coll., 1702 ; Serg't Thomas, constable, 1723 ; 
Joseph, coll., 1740 ; Timothy, school near, 1751 ; Jedediah, 
coll., 1764 ; Silas, to lix price of grain for minister's salary, 
1767 ; John, school com., 1780 ; Gideon, school com., 1776 ; 
Gideon, Jr., school com., 1777 ; John, " son of Gideon," coll., 
1791. 

Sheeney, Joseph, 1789. 

Saunders, Samuel, 1790. 

Smith, Philip, com. on meeting house, 1704 (died, 1725) ; 
David, fenced l)urying ground, 1733 ; Dea. Samuel, deeded 
land for Silver Lane, 1731, coll., 1734 ; Joseph, repaired 
school house, 1736 ; Samuel, Jr., coll., 1753 ; Dea. Moses, 
school com., 1772 ; John, school com., 1780 ; Epaphras, 
1778; Silas, 1773; Gideon, 1773; Eldad, 1785; Nehemiah, 
school com., 1795. 

*He died 1788, aged 79. His wife was Mabel Olmsted, daughter of 
Deacon Joseph, 
f 18 years Town Clerk; removed to Marcellus, N. Y. 

9 



66 HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 

Strickland, Joseph, 1741. 

Symonds, Joseph, Jr., coll., 1714; Benjamin, coll., 1748; 
William, school com., 1787. 

Treat, Henry, (married Sarah Andrews,) 'came to Hock- 
anum in 1681; Matthias, 1710; Henry, coll., 1752; Theo- 
dore, 1780; Stephen, school com., 1779; Russell, coll., 1781; 
Richard, coll., 1784 ; Matthias, 1792. 

Tinker, Reuben, 1794. 

Tripp, Elijah, 1788. 

Taylor, John, school com., 1781. 

.Tucker, Nehemiah, 1781. 

Terry, Noah, 1773. 

Vansant, Hannah, 1787. 

Vihert, James, 1748; John, 1770; William, 1774. 

Ward, Gamaliel, 1744. 

Wallace, William, coll., 1759 ; James, 1784. 

Wadsworth, Thomas, Soc'y com., 1741 ; William, school 
com., 1777 ; Thomas, Jr., school com., 1774 ; Josiah, school 
com., 1881 ; Samuel, coll., 1782. 

White, Lemuel, ratemaker, 1764. 

Whittlesey, Chauncey, to preach on probation, 1742. 

Webster, Ezekiel, coll., 1746. 

Wells, Samuel, ratemaker, 1699 ; Samuel, Jr., com. on new 
meeting house, 17;j0; Noah, to preach here, 1743; Joseph, 
com. on new meeting house, 1739; Capt. John, Soc'y com., 
1758; Jonathan, school com., 1764; David, coll., 1793; 
Daniel, coll., 1794. 

Woodhridge, Rev'd Samuel, called to preach and settled, 
1704, died, 1746 ; Capt. Russell, ratemaker, 1750 ; Samuel, 
school com., 1763 ; Ward, coll., 1778 ; Deodat, ass't chorister, 
1781. 

Woodruff, Benjamin, 1779. 

Wood, John, 1710. 

Woods, J. W., 1790. 

Warren, Andrew, coll., 1703 ; John, 1770 ; Edward, school 
com., 1782; Daniel, coll. South District, 1790. 

Williams, John, coll., 1704 ; Serg't William, com. on forts, 
and to call Rev. Woodbridge, 1704 ; Gabriel, com. to 



SETTLERS AND INHABITANTS. 67 

" dignify meeting house," 1707 ; Serg't Samuel, seating com., 
1714; Daniel, 1728; Timothy, warns meetings, 1729; Lieut. 
Jonathan, 1729; Jacob, school com., 1734; Jacob, school 
com., 1781; William, Jr., seating com., 1737 ; Stephen, to 
preach here, 1745 ; Dr. Eliphalet, called to preach here and 
settled, 1747 to 1803 ; Gabriel, Jr., school com., 1748 ; Tim- 
otliy, Jr., coll., 1750 ; Solomon, school com., 1762 ; Dea. 
John, school com., 1767 ; Ephraim, coll., 1770 ; Moses, 1772; 
Ozias, coll. South District, 1790; Edward, school com., 1792; 
Samuel, 1794 ; Oliver, coll. South District, 1795. 

Wyllys^ Thomas, school com., 1787, coll. South District, 
1794. 

Wiles, or Wyles, Capt. John, school com., 1777, and com. 
on Sunday boats, 1788 ; David, 1789. 

Witter, Thomas, 1743. 

We have chosen in this chapter to give little beyond a mere 
hint of the value of the old records of the First Ecclesiasti- 
cal Society of our town, as a store house of family names 
and genealogies. Elsewhere we have made larger use of the 
records, and in the chapter on Houses and Lands we have 
tried to indicate as nearly as possible the habitations of all 
whose names we have copied above, upon which any definite 
information was to be had. 



EARLY HISTORY-CONTINUED. 



CHAPTER IV. 



1670-1774. 

Main Street in our town was laid out in 1670. The select- 
men in the respective plantations were ordered to " lay out a 
highway six rod wide upon tlie upland on the east side of 
the Great River, that men may pass to their lots there as 
occasion shall require ; " it was to extend from plantation to 
plantation, and was called the King's Highway. The select- 
men were also to order " the fence sett up in the place where 
they shall order the highway to be sett out ; " and the bounds 
of the several plantations were extended " eastward twenty 
rod farther than their three miles formerly granted in con- 
sideration thereof." 

The bounds of the town of Hartford were extended east- 
ward five miles in 1672, for the encouragement of people to 
plant there. This new tract was known as the Five Miles 
until 1773. The deed of this land from '•'• Josliua Sachem," 
was not procured until ten years later, but probably the 
land had been bargained for before this time, for the town 
of Hartford in 1681 voted to pay to the administrators of 
Joshua's will the money agreed by Major Talcott with 
Joshua, provided sufficient deeds were given. The deed was 
given in May, 1682, by James Pitch, Jr., and Thomas Buck- 
ingham, Joshua's administrators. The tract is bounded as 
follows : " The western side three miles from Connecticut 
River, and is abutting on lands belonging to the towne of Hart- 
ford on the west, and the whole bredth of the towne of Hart- 
ford three miles eastward from Connecticut River and runs 
toward the east five miles in length and abutts on the Com- 
mons east, and on Windsor bounds on the north where it was 



EARLY HISTORY — CONTINUED. 69 

last stated by the Court, and on Wethersfield bounds on the 
south." It was at once voted to divide this hist grant of land 
among the inhabitants, " according to the disbursements of 
etch person paid in list of 1682." But a real division was 
not made until 1781. (See chapter on Parish of Orford.) 

In 1675 the Narragansett war broke out, and some of the 
enemy came into Hockanum and shot William Hill. Among 
the active measures was the garrisoning of four houses on 
this side the river — one at Bissell's ferry in Windsor, one at 
Thomas Eurnham's in Podunk, one at John Crow's on the 
meadow hill, a little way north of the Hockanum river, one 
at Naubuc, and one also at " Mr. Wyllys his farm," still 
farther south. A fuller account of the trou])les of this time 
will be found in tlie chapter on Indians. 

A difference arose with Windsor concerning the northern 
boundary of the town on this side the river. An attempt to 
adjust the matter was made in 1675, and the loss to owners of 
the lots on this side was to be made good by a committee, out 
of an undivided triangular piece of land between Windsor 
bounds and Thomas Burnham's land, if it would answer the 
loss. But the adjustment was not final ; in 1677, on petition 
of Joseph Fitch, of Windsor, a committee was appointed " to 
lay out the line between the sayd Mr. Fitch and Thomas 
Burnham their upland at Podunck, and to doe it according to 
their best judgment is agreeable to the deed of sale made to 
Mr. Fitch by the Country." As usual the court decided against 
Thomas Burnham. But the trouble was still unhealed; in 
1678 the matter was again agitated. Burnham was not a 
man to acquiesce with the decision of any court, as the fol- 
lowing warrant, issued in 1682, shows : " By virtue hereof 
you are required to give Thomas Burnham warninge to for 
barre any further meddling with any of the land at Podunke 
that lyes al>ov the line that was laid out by the Hartfordmen 
and Windsormen." (Towns and Lands, 1, 64.) And here 
the matter rested for awhile ; but fresh and cumulative inter- 
est was manifested from time to time, and in 1719 the town 
of Hartford voted to defend the lots south of the line laid 
out from Podunk river eastward in 1686. But in a suit 



70 HISTORY OP EAST HARTFORD. 

brought by Samuel Tudor, of Windsor, against Samuel Burn- 
ham, in 1721, the court decided that the line set by the Gen- 
eral Court in 1636 did not pass the title of the disputed land 
to Hartford. The town then voted to appeal the case to the 
General Court, but with no better result, and the town finally 
made good to the heirs of Thomas Burnhara, and of Wil- 
liam Williams, " what Windsor line had cut off their upland 
lots," by giving them a tract of 300 acres in the Five Miles — 
a tract bounded north by Windsor bounds, oOO rods, and 
west by the three mile lots, 160 rods. 

The dividing line between the towns was settled by the 
General Assembly in May, 1719, which accepted the report of 
their committee, and enacted " that the said line shall be and 
remain the dividing line between the said towns, and the 
ditches made by said committee shall be the lawful bound 
marks, and be so kept and renewed by said towns." The 
town of Hartford did not rest content with this, but in 17ol, 
appointed a committee to settle the line with Windsor, from 
the Country Road (Main Street) to the river, and to agree on 
no other than that anciently settled. But nothing appears to 
have come of it. This line was again adjusted, and stones 
set, by the selectmen of the towns of East Hartford and South 
Windsor in 1874. 

In 1679, the townsmen (selectmen) of Hartford were 
directed to appoint two yards on this side, one between Mr. 
Crow's and Goodman Williams', and the other in the most 
convenient place in Hockanum, for the pounding of cattle, 
and to empower the owners to be keepers of the pounds. 

In 1683, William Pitkin was chosen hayward " for meadow," 
with power, if sick or disabled, to appoint one in his place. 

In 1686, Roger Pitkin was chosen hayward for the east 
side, and William Hills for Hockanum. 

In 1687, William Warren was chosen surveyor "from the 
Riveret to Potunck ; " and John Hill for " Hoccanum." 
Fence viewers were also appointed this year. And so our 
embryo town came slowly to have its special officers, albeit 
they were elected by a vote of all the inhabitants, and ujton 
the other side of the river. 



EARLY HISTORY — CONTINUED. 71 

In 1699 was begun the first meeting house this side the 
river, and the first constable was appointed — Mr. Daniel 
Bidwell. 

In 1707 Mr. Hezekiah Porter was appointed our first select- 
man ; and we were allowed a brander to brand our horses in 
1708. The appointment of persons to these offices on this 
side the river was regularly done from this time until we 
matured into a town. 

The bridge over the Hockanum river on Main street was 
built in 1700; William Pitkin (2d), of the east side, and 
Capt. Cyprian Nichols, and John Marsh of the west side, 
being the committee to view the site and order the building 
of the same. Prior to that time the river was crossed by 
fording. 

Our ancestors about this time must have Jiegun to look about 
them with a very commendaljle pride. Many roads had been 
laid out, and bridges built ; the Indians and wild beasts liad 
been dispossessed and driven back ; Main street, long known 
as the " Country Road," the road along the meadow hill, and 
the cross roads to the eastward were thinly dotted with houses ; 
on the streams the clatter of the mills scarcely stayed night 
or day, while in the near forests the axes of the woodmen 
rang sharply all the busy week. Few stumps remained in 
the gardens and nearer fields ; and toil to the hard-handed 
farmer began to take on a brighter aspect. His soil was new 
and deep, and apparently inexhaustiljle. He raised his own 
flax and wool, which his wife and daughters spun into diu'a- 
ble garments for themselves and for him ; he raised his own 
pork, beef, grain, and vegetables ; took his own hides to the 
home tannery, and left them for an unconscionable period, 
that he might have them afterwards made into boots that 
were well-nigh indestructible. He was becoming self-con- 
tained, and might well have the complaisance of those who 
have beg-un to be forehanded in the world. Nor had he for- 
gotten higher things. The new meeting house had been 
built, and stood beaming in plain, unpainted glory across the 
river swamp from its hill in the midst of the town. Here on 
Sundays, and lecture days besides, the Rev. John Rood min- 



72 HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 

istered zealously to the spiritual needs of a flock over which 
he never became a settled pastor. And he abated no whit 
of his sermon though a midwinter chill was in the air, and 
there was no lire save in the tiny foot-stoves that half-filled 
the room with thin lilue smoke — the rime gathering the 
while, perchance, on the muskets that had been In'oiight as 
far as the porch, and left in charge of the sentry there. 

And there was need of caution at this time. In 1704, Deer- 
field was assaulted and burned, and the General Court thought 
best to order four houses to be fortified on this side of the 
river, at the cost of the residents here. William Pitkin (2d), 
Lieut. Jonathan Hills, Dea. Joseph Olmsted, Daniel Bidwell, 
and Serg't William Williams were the committee to appoint 
the houses which were to be fortified, and to " proportion each 
man's share that he is to doe of said fortification." 

It is not known what houses were fortified ; but a well- 
grounded tradition exists that one of them stood in the Center 
District, at Ihc foot of a new road lately laid out l)y Mr. Joseph 
Merriman on his land. Until within a few years the ditches 
which it is thought encompassed it were traceable. The for- 
tifying was accomplished by enclosing the yard about the 
house with a stout fence of pointed posts or palisades, with a 
strong gate, and loop holes for the guns. Outside of this a 
wide ditch was dug, the earth being sloped up against the pal- 
isades, and sometimes fixed full of sharp protruding boughs. 
Little platforms placed in the inner angles of the palisades 
and reached by a ladder, or by steps, furnished an out-look 
for the sentinels, who, in dangerous times, were kept at post 
both day and night. 

A wrilor in the FAm Leaf (1863), says lliat the site of this 
fortilication was north of the Now York &. New England Rail- 
road, at the house of William Pitkin, llic (irst settler. As the 
elder William Pitkin died in 1694, this could hardly be possible. 
His son William, however, was one of the committee. This 
writer says the people were summoned to the fort at night by 
the ringing of a bell, and probably this was the signal also in 
case of an alarm by day. 

Beyond giving the people a sense of security in a troubled 



EARLY HISTORY — CONTINUED. 73 

time, these forts appear to have been of no use. A list of 
those who, with their families and " feeble folk," sought the 
protection of the palisades, would show the names of the found- 
ers of our staid community, names which some of us bear 
with a modesty which well becomes us as we look back upon 
their conscientious woi'k. The Bidwells would be there, 
Daniel and John, from Bidwell's lane, now Burnside avenue, 
and Henry Arnold ; Dea. Joseph Olmsted, and Richard Olm- 
sted, and Timothy Cowles, afterwards Deacon Cowles, from 
the neighborhood of the junction of Prospect street with Main 
street, and a half nn'le north ; Joseph and James Easton, from 
the north meadow ; Richard Oilman, living north of Oilman's 
Brook or the "old road"; John Ooodwin, later deacon, from 
the center, close beside the plot where the burying ground was 
afterwards laid out; Lieut. John Meakins; and, perchance, 
the Olcotts — Lieut. Thomas and John — from Hop Brook in 
the Five Miles, unless they felt equal to their own protection 
there ; Jonathan Pratt, tanner, from tlie west side of Main 
street, just north of the hollow by the old meeting-house site 
(then new) ; the Pitkins — William, Capt. Roger (if he was 
not in more active service), and John ; William Roberts from 
the meadow hill, half a mile south of the fort, and William 
Buckland who lived only a few rods away ; William Stanley, 
perhaps, although he does not appear here until later ; John 
Spencer, who either lived at the head of Mill street, on Main 
street, or at Burnside ; and the Williams family — Jolm, Serg't 
William, Gabriel,^ — who lived at Willow Brook, or at Podunk 
and eastward, and perhaps at lioth places ; and the Burnhams 
of Podunk also, unless they had a fort of their own, as Thomas 
Burnham had in 1075 ; and Philip Smith, who, in 1710, was 
licensed to keep a public house, and who owned much land in 
the meadow, and on Silver Lane, and eastward. And for the 
spiritual support and guide of this goodly company of men and 
women and children, the Rev. Sanmel Woodbridge, our first 
settled minister, whose house stood north of the old meeting- 
house, on the west side of Main street. 

South of the Hockanum there lived at this time John Ab- 
bey, on what was subsequently Silver Lane ; Andrew Warren, 
10 



74 HFSTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 

between the Hockanum and Willow Brook ; Samuel Wells, on 
site of Mr. Reuben Brewer's house ; Matthias Treat, near 
Dowd's Grove, on the meadow hill ; John Risley and Thomas 
Risley, near Willow Brook ; Hezekiah Porter in Hockanum ; 
Daniel and David Forbes of Willow Brook, or Burnside ; 
Lieut. Jonathan Hills, and Ebenezer Hills, and Joseph Keeney, 
of Hockanum ; Serg't Thomas Kilbourn, near Silver Lane ; 
and John Dix, near Brewer Lane. These and their families 
were a company numerous enough to be provided with shelter 
in their own neighborhood from the expected assaults of the 
Indians, but no record appears of any means taken to that end. 

Meanwhile, despite the fear of an irruption of the Eastern 
Indians, parties had settled in the Five Miles. But as that 
tract was common land, their stay there was rather precarious. 
In 1706 a committee was appointed to '' eject any such per- 
sons who have entered upon or taken possession of any part 
or parcel of land," within said Five Miles. This committee 
was also to set out this tract as in the deed from Fitch and 
Buckingham, Joshua's administrators. But, if ejected, the 
squatters with characteristic persistency returned and squatted 
again. In 1719 a saw mill had been erected there without 
leave by some Windsor men ; and as late as 1735 action was 
taken concerning the unlawful taking of wood and timber 
from these commons. The first division of them among the 
proprietors was made in 1731. (See chapter on Orford Parish.) 

The first action in regard to a burial place this side tBe 
Great River was taken by the voters of the town of Hartford 
in 1709. A committee was chosen to view a convenient place 
for a burying yard, and, if necessary, to purchase the land. 
The deed of the first purchase for the Center Burying Ground 
was given by John Pantry to the town of Hartford, January 
1, 1710. It conveyed one acre, for a consideration of four 
pounds. The plot was twenty rods in length east and west, 
and eight rods in width ; and was bounded east and south by 
John Pantry's land ; west by highway ; north by land of John 
Goodwin. 

The wants of the living also were not disregarded. Philip 
Smith was given liberty to keep a public house in 1710, — he 



EARLY HISTORY CONTINUED. 75 

attending- to the rules of the law. Of this tavern, or of F'niith's 
character as a host, we know nothing. Possibly it was kept in 
the meadow, near the ferry, where later public houses flour- 
ished, and where Smith owned land. This land and a large 
tract of 300 acres, on what was subseiiucntly Silver Lane, he 
bought of the heirs of John Ilandin, who had bought it of 
John Crow. 

'^rhe following year Thomas Olcott was licensed to keep a 
house of entertaiument. This he did in the Five Miles, at 
Hop Brook, — an indication that the tide of travel and of popu- 
lation was drifting that way. 

In 1715 a committee was appointed to run a straight line 
from Windsor to " Glassenbury bounds, between the three 
mile lots and said five miles of land." 

The line between the towns of Hartford and Bolton was 
ordered run out, between the town's land and lands of tlie 
legatees of Joshua, an Indian sachem. This was in 1718. In 
1724 the line was again ordered to be run out and momiments 
set. But not until 1726 was the line established and (ixed. 

An order in regard to draining certain lands in our meadows 
was passed at a meeting of the Governor and Council, in New 
Haven, Oct. 19, 1719, William Pitkin (2d), of Hartford, be- 
ing one of the assistants : " On petition of the proprietors of a 
certain piece of low-land or hollow (commonly called Eason's 
Hollow), in Hartford meadow on the east side of the Connec- 
ticut River : Ordered, that a commission of sewers, for drain- 
ing of the said low-land or hollow, be granted to Capt. Ozias 
Pitkin, ;Mr. Nath' Stanley, and Mr. John Meakins of said 
Hartford." 

We have ah-eady seen something of the troubles that arose 
from the indefiniteness of the early land boundaries. In the 
early days, wlien land was abundant, good men were given 
large tracts, to be taken up anywhere, so that it prejudiced no 
earlier grant. But soon the settlers began to elbow each 
other, and a more orderly state of things was absolutely neces- 
sary. Then the General Court found plenty of business in 
rectifying the errors of its own generous youth. Differences 
early arose in regard to the east and west " diffident lines," of 



76 HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 

the three mile h)ts, from Windsor to (llastoiibury. A com- 
mittee was ai)poiiited to iii([uire into the matter in 1729. The 
foUowing year the Court empowered a commission to run out 
the dividinu' lines between the lots, parallel to the line of the 
north side of Glastonliury, as it runs the first three miles from 
the Great River, from the Country Road (Main street) lead- 
ing from Windsor to Glastonbury, to the eastern end of said 
lots. The work was to be paid for by such as liad their lines 
run out. The nearly east and west courses of these lines 
govern the boundaries of our lots to-day, and account for the 
awkward angles at which ihe lines of many of our house-lots 
intersect Main street. Most of the roads running eastward 
are laid out parallel to these lines. That next north of Gil- 
man's Brook, when surveyed in 1734, was run parallel to the 
dividing line between Hartford and Glastonbury, although live 
miles distant from it. 

In 1749 the lister for this side, who assessed the property 
here, became a salaried officer and received five pounds for 
his pains. 

The same year sign-posts were ordered in the towns on both 
sides the river, for the posting of public notices. And tradi- 
tion says they were used for purposes less gentle also. The 
old one in our street knew no softer name than " the whipping 
post."" It was a stout oaken post, about ten inches square, 
with a rough neck and head, hewed squarely to a point at the 
top. It was studded with rusty tacks and nails, and nothing 
but the obduracy of its oaken head and heart had kept it in- 
tact for so many years. Several times it rotted o& at the sur- 
face of the ground, but was set down afresh, its loss of stature 
giving it an aspect of fresh devotion to the cause of punitive 
justice in our l^orders — a sort of new consecration, as though 
it had just bethought itself to go down on its knees in behalf 
of society. It stood on the east side of Main street, nearly 
opposite our ])resent sign-post, in front of the house of the 
writer. Some among us, who are not yet old, remember when 
the constable laid the lash across the bare shoulders of offen- 
ders bending before this stern but salutary shrine. The pro- 
gress of the old time " tramp," if he were a vagabond indeed, 



EARLY HISTORY — CONTINUED, 



77 



between these wayside shrines, was no festive march, and he did 
not liiicer long- in their neighborhood. Tlie remains of the 
okl whi|)|»ing-})0st 1 liave described are still preserved by Mr. 
S. G. Phelps. 

The French and Indian war drew from among our citizens 
a goodly numlter of martial spirits, who eidisted in Lieut.-Col. 
John Pitkin's company, of which tlie nmster roll has been 
found among the pajiers of Gen. S. L. Pitkin. It is as follows : 

"A Muster Roll of Licut.-Colonel John Pitkin's company, 
being the second company in the First Regiment raised for 
the reduction of Crown Point, April, 1755 (in service 28 
weeks). 

John Pitkin, CoL <f Capt. 

Lemuel Hull, Lieut. James Jones, Lieut, 

William Stanton, Clerk, Reul)en (Chittenden, Drummer. 



John Keeney, 
Daniel Cone, 



Sergeants : 

Isaac Turner, 
Charles Buckland. 



Corporah 



Jonathan Avery, 
Alexander Keeney, 



Peleg Redfield, 
Jeremiah Stevens. 



Privates . 



Amos Raiment, 
Benj. Keeney, 
Nath'l Dewey, 
Abner Elger, 
Asa Burnham, 
Benoni Evens, 
Moses Evens, 
Samuel Evens, Jr., 
Joseph Keeney, 
Ozias Bissell, 
William Ross, 
Thos. Brewer, Jr., 



Aaron Pratt, 
Samuel Evens, 
Josiah Standift, 
William Brown, 
Benj. Brewer, Jr., 
Benoni Loomis, 
Elisha Parker, 
Gideon King, 
Daniel Brewer, 
Samuel Chandler, 
Simon Gains, 
John Benjamin, 



78 



HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 



Giles Wilcocks, 
Israel Harding, 
Thomas Stevens, 
Tlioinas Rooly, 
Juwepli Datoii, 
Moses Wright, 
Abraliaiu Broukcr, 
Abraham Stevens, 
Ezra Grain, 
John Nichols, 
Edward Ilutchins, 
Daniel Franklin, 
Gideon Fox, 
Simeon Mentor, 
John Ryant, 
Jedediah Fox, 
Israel R(jwley, 
William Dodge, Jr. 
Andrew Clark, 
Judali Spencer, 
Peter Homan, 
Suckheiom, 
Thomas Keeney, 



James Redfield, 
Ichabod French, 
Reuben Turner, 
Jonatlian Shephard, 
Aaron Stevens, 
Ebenezer Belding, 
Ezekiel Hull, 
Miles Wright, 
Reuben Kelsey, 
Joseph Carter, 
tJesse Cliatfield, 
Ezra E})hraims, 
Samuel Wells,"* 
Benj. Bragg, 
Lel)l)eus Tubbus, 
Benajali Tubbus, 
Amos Jones, 
James Webb, 
Elijah Thomas, 
Abner Scovill, 
Daniel Shields, 
John Abbey, Jr., 
Aaron Kelsey. 



" Hartford, 22d May, 1755. Then mustered y^ al)Ove com- 
pany, y« Colonel and Lieut^ Iteing present and find them all alile 
bodied, effective men. Joseph Pitkin, P]sq., one of his Majes- 
ties Justices of y^ peace, being also present. 79 in number. 
" Teste, Elihu Lyman, Com'y of y^ Musters." 

" The expedition against Crown Point," says Goodrich, " was 
conducted by Gen. William Johnson, a member of the Council 
of New York ; and although it failed as to its main object, yet 
its results diffused exultation through the American Colonies, 
and dispelled the gloom that followed Braddock's defeat." It 
accomplished the defeat of Baron Dieskau and two thousand 
of the enemy in the battle of Lake George. 

An incident of this war was the settlement of the neutral 



* Was a First Lieutenant in 1757. 



EARLY HISTORY — CONTINUED. 

French inhabitants of Nova Scotia among the towns in the 
Colonies. The French force in that province "being snbdned, 
a difficnlt question occurred, respecting the disposal of the in- 
habitants. Fearing that they might join the French in Can- 
ada, w hom they had before " aided, " it was determined to 
disperse them among the English Colonies. Under this order 
nearly 2,000 miserable occupants of a sterile soil, .... and 
yet attached to it, and so loyal as to refuse to take the oath of 
allegiance to the King of England, were driven on board the 
British shipping, and dispersed among the Eng;lish Colonies." 
(Goodrich.) On this dispersal is based Longfellow's poem, 
" Evangeline." 

A vote of the General Assemblj^ of this State indicates 
that about 400 were expected to be provided for here, and 
allots the numl)er each town was to ]-eceive. Families 
were not to he broken up in the distribution. The selectmen 
of the towns were ordered to receive the number assigned to 
their respective towns, and, with the advice of the civil 
authority, to take care of, manage, and sui)port them as though 
they were inhabitants. And these people were not to leave 
the towns to which they were allotted without a writing under 
the hand of some of the civil authority ; otherwise they 
were to suffer arrest and be conveyed back from constable to 
constable, through the different towns, until they were deliv- 
ered into proper custody again. The town of Hartford was 
allotted fifteen of these people, and voted in 1756 to build a 
house for their accommodation. 

The line between the towns of Hartford and Wethersfield 
and Glastonbury was adjusted in 1769. The town agents 
were directed to appear before the committee appointed by 
the General Assemljly to fix the same. 

As early as 1748, the inhabitants of the Five Miles were 
allowed to have preaching there three months in the year, 
when the roads were in bad condition, with which they were 
a long time content. But in 1768 they petitioned to be made 
a separate society. Partly through a lack of unanimity 
among themselves they did not attain their object until 1773. 
In June of that year they were incorporated into an ecclesi- 



80 HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 

astical society, under the name of the Parish of Orford. The 
site of their meeting house was determined in May, 1774. 

Their petition was from the (ii'st opposed by the okl society, 
especially because they asked to have tlioir bounds include 
not only the Five Miles, but a good half mile west of tlie 
ditches between it and the three mile lots. This opposition 
however, was of no avail. The line between the societies 
was defined as five and one-half miles from Bolton line. 
The old society tried to contest it, but without result. Still 
it kept alive the memory of its wrcmg until the growing 
parish wished to become a town, and then a vote was passed 
in town meeting to oppose the petitioners before the General 
Assembly, unless they would consent to have for their west- 
ern boundary the old line between the three and five mile 
lots. In this, however, it finally failed, and the line between 
the towns is about one hundred rods west of the old line of 
the lots. Keeney street, in Manchester, is laid along the old 
line between the Five Miles and the three mile lots. 



DUEI]^G THE REVOLUTION. 



CHAPTER V. 

1770-1783. 

We may reasonably claim for our people a large share in 
the part which Hartford took in the Revolutionary War. 
Tlie disparity l)etween the wealtli and population of the two 
sides of the river was not so great in 1774 as it now is. Our 
present town was at that time no mere suburb of Hartford, 
but an important factor in its activities and its councils. A 
computation of the entire population of Hartford, Dec. 13, 
1701, gives but 8,938 people, black and white ; of this number 
1,588 are put down as living on the east side of the river. 
A census taken in 1774 gives Hartford a total population of 
6,031. The same year the iHhal)itants of the east side, in 
their petition to be allo,wed separate town privileges, claim to 
number 2,000 souls, with a property list of 19,000 pounds. 
From aljout the year 1707, one selectmen at least was elected 
annually from this side, and we had our constable, haywards, 
fence viewers, etc., as has been shown. In the affairs of the 
Colony, civil, military, and judicial, our people had a prom- 
inent representation through the influential Pitkin family, 
and others, many of whose names live prominently among 
us to-day. And when the crisis came, in which the young- 
colonies were to take their stand against one of the most 
powerful nations on the earth, our people responded with such 
alacrity and in sucli numliers as to prove that their previous 
part in the growing determination of resistance had not been 
that of idle or doubtful lookei's-on. 

Every vote recorded in the records of tlie town of Hartford 
at this time has a vital interest for us, bringing as it does to 
11 



82 HISTORY OF EAST HARTFOED. 

our very firesides the history of those resolute years. There 
is ill none of them a doubtful tone. 

The first mutterings of dissatisfaction were manifested in 
1770, when John Ledyard, Esqr., Col. John Pitkin, Capt, 
John Lawrence, and Mr. Elislia Pitkin were appointed a 
committee to represent the town of Hartford at New Haven, 
and directed to use their endeavors in the support of measures 
designed to prevent the importation of English goods, and in 
the promotion of the use of American manufactures, " at this 
critical juncture .... in the common cause." 

In 1774, six resolutions of sym})atliy were passed, express- 
ing sympathy with embargoed Boston, and approving the 
association entered into l)y the late Continental Congress. A 
committee of " correspondence and observation " was ap- 
pointed. 

There was something in these resolves besides their rhe- 
torical flourish. When, in April, 1775, came the news of the 
Concord and Lexington fight, announced by couriers through 
all the land, there was no hesitation. A paper, written by 
General S. L. Pitkin, has been found, which shows that " Old 
Put" was not alone in leaving his plow in the furrow at 
this eventful time : 

" The following named persons marched from Hartford for 
the relief of Boston in the Lexington alarm, April, 1775. 

" George Pitkin, Esqr., Lieut. Colonel. 
Selah Norton, Ensign. Daniel Marsh, Sergeant. 

John Hurlburt, Sergeant. Timothy Olmsted, Fifer. 
Gurdon Burnham, Drummer. 

Privates : 

Job Norton, Samuel Wood bridge, 

Stephen Rogers, James Kilbourn, 

George Clark, John Reynolds, 

William Olmsted, Nathaniel Olmsted, 

Theodore Stanley, Joseph Pitkin, 

John Taylor, Moses Butler, 

Asahel Olmsted, Epaphras Olmsted,* 

* Was a cavaliy man later in the war. 



DURING THE REVOLUTION. 88 

Gideon Olmsted,* Thomas Wyllis, 

William Roberts, Berioni Evens, 

E|»a|)liias Oilman, Samuel Hurllniit, 

Angustus Burnham, Jacob Williams, 

Joshua Williams, Daniel Williams, 

Epaphras Bidwell, John Roberts, 

* He had ;i subseciucut history which must here be told. In 1778 he wus 
captain of a. French ])rivateer, and was captured by the English sloop 
Ostrich and taken to Jamaica. Here, with three corai patriots, — Artemas 
White, Aquila Rumsdale, and David Clark, — he was put upon the sloop 
Active, Captain John Underwood, bound for New York, with a cargo of 
rum, coffee, pimento, etc., for the Britisli army and navy. After assisting 
to work tlie vessel to New York, tlie prisoners were to be transferred to 
the infamous prison ships at that port. Besides these, Capt. Underwood's 
crew consisted of his mate and two sailors, and there were three male 
passengers with a negro servant on board. They left Montego Bay 
Aug. 1, 1778, under convoy of the Glasgow, man-of-war, for twenty- 
seven days. Sept. 4th they made Cape Charles and met the brig Tryon, 
and were warned to keep away from the coast on account of privateers. 
Sunday night, about 12 o'clock, Olmsted, White, and Rumsdale were on 
deck, an old sailor being at the wheel. Rumsdale called the watch, and 
Clark and the other sailor, a young colored man, came on deck. Capt. 
Underwood and the mate were about to follow, when Olmsted and Clark 
drew up the ladder and told them they were prisoners, and swore they 
would kill them if they came on deck. They ordered the sailor back to 
the wheel, and coiled a cable around the companion-way, Olmsted being 
wounded by a pistol ball from below while doing so. The course of the 
vessel was changed toward Egg Harbor, New Jersey. Tov^r^ard daylight 
those below began to fire their pistols through the chinks of the cabin. 
Capt. Olmsted told them to desist or he would fire a four-pounder into the 
cabin. Capt. Underwood retorted, "Fire and be d— — ^d ! " And they did, 
damaging, however, only a puncheon of rum and a barrel of coffee. 
Underwood, in a rage, cried out that he would blow up the vessel. Olm- 
sted told him he might do it and be d d, he was no more afraid of 

going to the bottom than they. Underwood was about to tire his pistol 
into the powder barrel, when the mate stopped him, and one of the 
passengers offered to pay all their losses if they would cease firing their 
pistols. But they did not, and another four-pounder was sent through the 
bulkhead. 

The foresail was then unbent and lashed around the companion to screen 
those on deck; but, finding that the rudder had been wedged, they cut a 
hole in it and fired a swivel, loaded with thirty musket balls, into the 
cabin. This was the last shot fired. Capt. Olmsted and his comrades 
now began to tear up the deck to get at the rudder, when those below gave 
up the contest, hoping the Yankees would take a boat and leave when 
near the shore, or that an English cruiser might relieve them. They 



84 HISTORY OP EAST HARTFORD. 

Aaron Burnliam, John Spencer, 

Timothy Mawley, William Grifhu, 

Benjamin Gilman, Samuel Kennedy, 

Aaron Olmsted, Levi Goodwin, 

Thomas Spencer, Silas Easton, 

Abraham Clark, Russell Woodhridge, Jr., 

John Pitkin, Jr., Elijah Roberts, 

William Chandler, Jones, 

Daniel Call, Benjamin Woodruff. 

Of the deeds of these ready volunteers in the field we have 
no record. Many of them probably served later in the war ; 

unwedged the rudder in this hope, aud things became more "friendly," 
as a narrator quaintly says, and a (jiiarter of mutton was passed into the 
cabin. Early Tuesday morning the captors made Cape May and hauled 
down their sails to avoid discovery by any chance cruiser. They were 
discovered, however, by the American brig Convention, which showed 
British colors, and tired upon them. Capt. Olmsted then asked Capt. 
Underwood to give him the sloop's papers; but he would not give them 
uj), and hung his English colors out of the cabin window. The sloop was 
taken in charge by the Convention aud her consort, the Girard, and taken 
to Philadelphia. 

The Active's cargo sold for $98,800. An interest in the prize money 
was claimed by the Convention, and by her consort, the Girard, and by 
Gideon Olmsted and his companions. The admiralty court of Pennsyl- 
vania awarded to the captain of the Convention one-fourth of the amount; 
to her owners (the State of Pennsylvania), one-fourth; to the Girard, one- 
fourth; and to Gideon Olmsted aud associates, one-fourth. 

Olmsted and his associates appealed to the United Slates commissioners 
of appeals, and they set aside the decision of the admiralty court and 
awarded the entire amount to Gideon Olmsted and his associates. Olm- 
sted bought out the claims of his companions, but as the case was a 
complicated one, and involved a conflict of authority between the State 
courts and the United States courts, the matter did not come to a final 
adjustment until November, 1809; and, even then, the State declined 
giving up the amount originally deposited in its treasury for the captain 
of the Convention (|24,700). — Sundry Documents relative to the Claim of 
Oideon Olmsted, etc. Phila., 1811. 

Another incident in regard to Capt. Gideon Olmsted's privateering has 
just come to the writer's knowledge. He fell in with a rich merchantman 
disguised as a man-of-war, and cruised near it for a while, uncertain 
whether to attack it or not. Ilis crew urged him to do so, but Capt. 
Olmsted declared that it looked too wicked; those silent port-holes might 
be only waiting to blow him out of the water; and he allowed her to slip 
away, much to the after chagrin of his intrepid nature. 



DURING THE REVOLUTION. 85 

and most returned linally to their homes, to die in ]>eaco, and 
are buried in our town. 

The few names we have gatlicred oi" others who served in 
the war may be given here : 

Stephen Olmsted died in Westchester County, New York, 
Sept. 0, 1776. A long elegy, addressed to his widow, was 
written by Mr. Elisha Benton, a fellow-soldier of his, and 
shows him to have been a man of worth. This elegy has 
been printed in the Elm Leaf (1863). 

Mr. Elisha Benton was our local poet ; he came home in 
safety, and died in 1818. 

Captain Zebulon Bid well was killed at (or after) the battle 
of Stillwater, in New York, in 1777. The following quaint 
record is from the gravestone of his son : " In memory of an 
Infant son of the late Capt. Zc5)ulon and Mrs. Mary Bidwell, 
who was still-born soon after his Father's Death (and perhaps 
quited Life at ye news thereof) who was killed in ye Northern 
Army, Sept. 20th, 1777, in his 34th year. 

"Abroad from home iu Earth's cold womb, 
His body sleeping lies; 
May we prepare to meet him wliere 
Are everlasting' joys." 

Capt. Stephen Buckland died in the prison-ship Jersey, at 
New York, May 7, 1782. 

Cai)t. Lemuel White was also confined on board the prison- 
ship at New York, tie declared that the fare was so abom- 
inable that the swarming * vermin actually gave it a relish ! 
An account of the horrors of the prison-ships may be found in 
Barber's Historical Collections of Connecticut, p. 286. Three 
hundred and fifty persons were confined in the hold of one 
vessel, and the air was so foul that a lamp would not burn 
there. Some lay ten days dead before they were discovered 
and taken out. 

Col. Jonathan Wells, of Hockanum, was also an officer in 
the Revolutionary army. He lived in the house lately owned 
by Mr. Abial Pease. He died in 1816. Upon the grave-stone 
of Levi Risley, who died in 1834, at the age of seventy-four, 
arc the words, " A Patriot of the Revolution." 



86 HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 

Ill 1777, eiglit hattiilioiis were to be raised, and one of them, 
commanded by Col. Samuel Wyllys, was quartered in Hart- 
ford for the winter, for the purpose of filling up its ranks, and 
for military exercise. The town instructed the selectmen to 
assist in procuring barracks, provided no expense was made to 
the town. 

A committee was appointed to procure necessaries for the 
families of soldiers at prices affixed by law ; and the same was 
sul)sequently renewed from time to time. 

The same year a bounty of twenty pounds was voted to each 
soldier who enlisted to fill the quota of the town in the eight 
battalions, and a tax was laid to raise the necessary money. 
Clothing was to be furnished them, the quota of salt allowed 
the town by the State Ijeing appropriated toward paying for 
the same. 

About this time the Colonies began to distriljute their pris- 
oners of war among the towns for safe keeping. A number 
were quartered in South Windsor ; among them William 
Franklin (son of Dr. Benjamin Franklin), the royal governor 
of New Jersey, and Generals Hamilton and Prescott. But 
although they occupied houses close upon our borders, none 
were quartered within our town. This proljably was the re- 
sult of a vote passed in 1777, instructing the selectmen to ap- 
ply to the General Assenil)ly to remove all prisoners of war 
that are or may be sent to this town, and for other relief as 
may be required. 

In 1777, also, William Pitkin (4tli), and six others were 
a})pointed " to consider the articles of confederation drawn uji 
and proposed by Congress for a Plan of Union to be adopted 
and come into by the United States of America ;" — the town 
expressing its opinion that some alterations were advisable. 

In 1780 a committee was chosen to stop the trade in embar- 
goed provisions, " which they shall suspect are driving," by 
carrying them through the town and out of the State contrary 
to law. 

A bounty of thirty pounds was voted by the town this year 
to men who had served three years, and would re-enlist to 
serve during the war ; eighteen pounds to those who enlisted 



DURING THE REVOLUTION. 87 

for three years ; and three pounds to tliose who would enlist 
to serve till January first next (6 months). These were in 
addition to State bounties, and were offered in order to fill 
the quota of the town. They were payable in wheat at a fixed 
price per bushel. 

The town had 86 men credited as in the service in 1781 ; 
the quota required 97. But it was thought it had sent more 
than were credited, and a committee was chosen to ascertain 
and report to the governor, if they found it so. 

The same year (1781), when Forts Griswold and Trumbull 
were taken, and New London burned, troops had to be raised 
for tlie defence of the posts at Horseneck, and other parts of 
the State ; they were to continue in service until March 1, 
1782, unless sooner discharged. For this purpose the inhab- 
itants were classed into as many classes as there were men to 
be raised, and each class was to procure one man. A like 
necessity in 1782 was followed by a similar classification to 
raise troops for the defence of the western frontiers. 

The close of the war was followed by speedy efforts on the 
part of the town to pay off its debts, taking advantage of the 
cheap money then afloat. 

Gratifying and full of promise as were the results of the 
war, there followed the difficult task of organizing the new 
government. It was a critical time, when the men who had 
guided the States through the war held in tlieir hands the 
future of a nation which already owed so nuich to their self- 
sacrificing toil and care. It is not strange that there should 
l)e something of distrust and watchful suspicion. This is man- 
ifest in a vote passed by the town of Hartford in 1783, in- 
structing its representatives " to strenuously oppose the 
encroachments of the American Congress upon the sov- 
ereignty of the separate States, and every assumption of power 
not vested in them l)y the Articles of Confederation." 

But, thanks to the integrity of that time, the young nation 
})assed through its early perils in safety, and we can well 
afford to do homage to the men who gave up their own allur- 
ing opportunities, and looked only to the future well-being of 
the nation. 



THE FRENCH ENCAMPMENT. 



CHAPTER VI. 



Belonging to the Revolutionary period are the stories of 
tlie encam])mciit of the Fi-ench troops here in 1781, when on 
tlieir way from Newport to join Wasliington's forces near New 
York. 

A French fleet under M. de Ternay arrived at Rhode Island 
in July, 1780, having on board 6,000 soldiers under command 
of Lieutenant-General Count de Rochambeau. These troops 
were welcomed with grateful entliusiasm by the Americans, 
and given immediate ])Ossession of the forts on Rhode Island. 
Rochambeau, who was subordinate only to Washington, was 
met by the commander-in-chief at Hartford in Septeml^er, and 
together they conferred in regard to their future plans. They 
met here again* in May, 1781, when the proposal to attack 
New York was favorably considered. But Sir Henry Clinton 
])ecoming aware of tlieir purpose, they changed their plan, 
and resolved to l)ring all their resources to bear against Corn- 
wallis in Virginia. In order to deceive Clinton tliey kept up 
the show of preparation to attack New York. Washington 
moved his own forces down to Kingbridge, within fifteen miles 
of the city, and the French army, consisting of 5,000 men 

* An Account of the Tour of General Lafayette through the United 
States, in 1824-25 — (Hartford : Silas Audrus & Son, 1855), speaking of 
Lafayette's start from Bennett's Hotel, says: "On this very spot where 
stood his carriage. General Washington first mot General Rochambeau, at 
tlic head of tin; P^rench army, after their arrival from France to aid in the 
clause of the Revolution. Here Washington and Hamilton and several 
other American officers first shook hands, in the presen(;e of Lafayette, with 
the officers of the French army. Tins place, too, was in front of the man- 
sion [Col. Wadsworth's, now the Atheneum], where those officers con- 
vened from day to day to project and mature the seige of Yorktown, which 
ended in securing our independence." 



THE FRENCH ENCAMPMENT. 89 

under Rochambeau, joined liim in ''uly. They appeared to 
daily expect the arrival of the Prencli fleet liefore New York, 
when suddenly they crossed the Hudson and began their rapid 
march across New Jersey. Clinton, deceived by misleading 
rumors, believed their movement only a feint, and neglected 
to follow them until it was too late. In October Cornwallis 
surrendered to the combined armies. (Williard's History.) 

So much for the ])ul)lished histories. Tradition has it that 
the French troops were twice encamped within our borders, — 
once on our meadows, when Count de Rochambeau met 
AVashington in Hartford to confer with him ; and again, at a 
later time, when they encamped north of the house of the late 
Nathaniel Warren, on Silver Lane. The Count Ijoarded at 
Esquire Elisha Pitkin's, near the old meeting-house. Others 
of the French officers were quartered at the public houses, and 
in the principal houses on Main street, — certainly at Joseph 
Goodwin's (senior), where the grease-spots on the chamber 
floor from their culinary operations were never effaced, and 
at the Warren house, just south of the Hockanum bridge. 

Wonderful tales of their barbecues in the meadows are still 
told — of the huge carcasses of oxen roasted whole over pits 
dug in the ground — the poor beasts having been beaten almost 
to a jelly while yet alive, to fit them for the fastidious palates 
of the foreigners. An iron cattle ring, cut from near the 
heart of a tree in the meadow by Mr. Austin Case, is a relic 
of their occupancy. They also had their cattle-roasts, and 
made barrels of soup in 'Squire Pitkin's door-yard. The old 
meeting house was used for a hospital during their stay. 

Their sojourn here was marked by much cordial sociability. 
Our grandmothers and great grandmothers came from long 
distances to dance with the gay and polite French officers in 
Mr. Ashbel Roberts' orchard, back of what is now Mr. Jason 
Roberts' house on Silver Lane. The French named the 
apples from a tree which was until lately standing in this 
orchard, " Belle Bonne," — signifying good and handsome, a 
name which this variety of apple has borne ever since, al- 
though it is sometimes corrupted into " Belle Bound," and 
shortened into " Bounders." 
12 



90 HISTORY OP EAST HARTFORD. 

The French oflicers also visited tlic distinguished Englisli 
iwisoners quartered in South Windsor, wliere (jrovernor Fj-ank- 
lin lived in princely style. He was quartered at Lieut. Dig- 
gins' house, about a mile south of the meeting house, and 
served sour punches under an elm tree east of the house, 
near Podunk Brook. This drink, in which the opposed ingre- 
dients of sweet and sour were so lia]>pily mingled, was called 
by the French " one grand contradiction." 

The iiiHuence of the good manners and cultui-ed tastes of 
the French officers remained after they had departed. It has 
been said that it was at their suggestion that the trees were 
first set along Main street, but we do not find this corrobo- 
rated in any way. In South Windsor some of the elms are 
said to have been set by the British and Hessian prisoners 
w^ho were quartered there, and this may have given rise to 
the report. 

Silver Lane derived its name from the French, who paid 
their troops there, — opening, it is said, kegs of coin for that 
purpose. " Tliey left much good money here," says one in- 
formant. It was a time when the home currency was so 
depreciated that a committee was a})pointed to determine at 
what rate it should be received when offered to pay Dr. Wil- 
liams's salary, and " good money" was a delight to the eyes. 
Tlie people gladly served the generous soldiers, the boys run- 
ning errands for them, and the housewives doing their sewing 
and mending, and serving them at their houses with unwonted 
gingerbread and pies, for which they were well paid. The 
soldiers cut fagots for their cami>fires in the woods, south of 
Silver Lane, and brought them in l)undles on their backs. 
One soldier died here and was buried near the hillside, north 
of Silver Lane. The bank afterwards caved away, but we 
cannot learn that anything was found. For many a day after 
the troops had gone the boys found stray coins on the site of 
the French camp on Silver Lane. 

Boats were impressed at different times during the Revolu- 
tion for the transportation of troops across the Connecticut 
river at Hartford. A copy of an order for such a purpose is 
still preserved by the state librarian. 



THE FRENCH ENCAMPMENT. 91 

The gratitude of our people for the assistance given them 
by the French in their struggle for independent life mani- 
fested itself witli spontaneous ardor on the occasion of the 
revisit of the Marquis de Lafayette to this country in 1824. 
His route from one town to another was an unbroken ovation. 
Festooned archways, with mottoes of welcome, everywhere 
crossed his path, and he was greeted with fresh salvos of 
artillery, with ringing of bells, and martial displays as he 
entered town after town on his way. The Governor's Horse 
Guard went out fourteen miles from Hartford to meet him, and 
escorted him along the Tolland turnpike. He passed through 
our town on the forenoon of Sept. 4th. The morning was un- 
pleasant, but many went out on the turnpike to meet him and 
join in his escort, some in vehicles, some on horseback, and 
many on foot, and a discharge of artilleiy announced to the 
people of Hartford that the distinguished Frenchman was ap- 
proaching. He alighted from his carriage and passed slowly 
into Phelps' tavern. He walked with crutches, the result of 
an accident in 180o. Here he remained but a few moments, 
receiving our town's people. Passing again to his carriage, 
he was driven down the Ih-idge Road, and over the great 
Ijridge, to receive the splendid hospitalities of the city, which 
was gay with street decorations and swarming witli people 
from all tlie reicion around. 



TOWN HISTOKY. 



CHAPTER VII. 

So early as the year 1726, the inhabitants living on the east 
side of the Great River in the town of Hartford petitioned the 
General Assembly to set them off as a separate town. The 
town of Hartford, by a vote at this time, appointed a com- 
mittee, of which Governor Talcott was a memljer, to consider 
the effect of their petition upon the town. In 1728 the 
request was renewed; and again in 1737. But nothing came 
of it, the west side people taking prompt measures to oppose 
the project. In 1769 they again asked for town privileges, 
setting forth the territory represented as eight miles long- 
east and west, by five and one-half miles north and south, 
and claiming a property list of 17,000 pounds. They also 
stated, " that for many years past we have been burdened 
with long travel to attend the public meetings in said town, 
and many seasons of the year the Great River in said town 
is impassable .... and although we cannot boast of our 
Opelance yet Encouraged by your Honors well-known and 
established maxims of Righteousness, as well as the recent 
Instances of Paternal Goodness in relieving all others in like 
circumstances, humbly pray your Honors to incorporate and 
made us a Distinct Town." 

The memorial is signed by William Pitkin (4th), Jonathan 
Hills, and one hundred and fifty-four others. On it is the 
endorsement of the constable, stating that he has cited the 
inhabitants of Hartford to appear and show cause why the 
prayer of the petitioners should not be granted. (Towns 
and Lands, Vol. 9.) 

In May, 1774, we find a fresh petition, which gives the pop- 
ulation tliis side as 2,000, and the property list as 19,000 
pounds. This petition was freshly opposed by the town of 



TOWN HISTORY. 93 

Hartford, and was continued until 1780, when the property 
list is stated as 20,000 pounds. It says that for more than 
eighty- years past they have found it not only inconvenient to 
attend public meetings in Hartford, but a grievous burden, 
with its six, eight, and ten miles of travel. Additional names 
were added to this petition in January, 1783, and in October 
the General Assembly, met at New Haven, passed the incor- 
porating act, as follows : 

"At a General Assembly holden at New Haven, in the 
State of Connecticut, on the second Thursday of October, 
Anno Domini, 1783. — 

" Upon the memorial of John Pitkin, etc., inhabitants of 
the Town of Hartford on the East Side of Connecticutt 
River, shewing that by reason of the distance many of them 
live from the place of transacting public Business in said 
town, and the difficulty of passing the Great River at various 
seasons of the year, they labour under Great Burdens, and 
are often prevented attending and enjoying their Legal Privi- 
leges, — also that they are of Sufficient Ability and Numbers 
to be Constituted into a Destinct Town, and praying for the 
same as p"" Memorial on file : — 

" Resolved by this Assembly, that all the Lands in the 
Town of Hartford lying East of Connecticutt River, and the 
Inhabitants thereof, within the following Boundaries (viz.): 
West on Connecticutt River ; East on Bolton Town Line ; 
North on East Windsor Town Line ; and South on Glasten- 
bury Town Line, including the two Ecclesiastical Societies 
within said Limitts, be and the same are hereby Made, Con- 
stituted and Incorporated into a Distinct Town by the name 
of East Hartford : To Have, Exercise and Enjoy all the 
priviledges, Immunities, Franchises, and powers which other 
Towns in this State are by Law invested with :— And that all 
Monies due to the late Town of Hartford, the Stock on hand, 
if any, and the Del)ts owing by said Town, and the poor 
belonging to said Town, shall he divided between said late 
Town and the Town now constituted, according to their list, 
and the })riviledge of keeping one-half of the Periy accross 
Connecticutt River, at the place or places where the same has 
been usually kept in said Town of Hartford, shall belong to 



94 HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 

East Hartford during the pleasure of this Assembly : — That 
all Town Officers dwelling within the limits of said East 
Hartford continue in their respective Offices untill new shall 
1)6 appointed, — and the two Selectmen now dwelling in said 
East Hartford, with an Assistant, or Justice of the Peace, are 
hereby autherized to warn the first town meeting, to be 
holden at the Meeting house in the first Society in said town 
of East Hartford, on the second Tuesday of December next, 
for the purpose of chusing Town Officers and transacting 
other Business proper to be done in Town Meetings. 
" A true Copy of Record, 

Examin*^ 

By George Wyllys, Secrety. 

"The foregoing a true Coppy, Test, Jonathan Stanly, Jun'', 
Reg"-." 

The above is from our town records, recorded by Jonathan 
Stanley, Jr., our first town clerk and register. 

The call for the first town meeting is as follows : 

" The Inhabitants of the town of Bast Hartford are hereby 
notifyed and warned to meet and convene together at the 
Meeting House in the first Society in East Hartford on the 
Second Tuesday of December next, at ten of the clock in the 
morning, then and there to clmfe the Town Officers by law 
required and to transact any other Business jjroper to be done 
in Town Meeting. 

" Given undei- our hands the 18*^' day of November, 1783. 
" George Pitkin, Justice of y^ Peace. 
" Daniel Pitkin ) Selectmen of 
" Richard Pitkin \ East Hartford." 

" In pursuance of the foregoing warning I proceeded and 
warned the Inhabitants of the Town of East Hartford to 
conveene and meet at the Meeting House in the first Society 
in said ToAvn to meet at Ten of the Clock in the Morning to 
chuse Town Officers by law recpiired and transact any Other 
Business proper to be done in Town Meeting. 

" Daniel Pitkin, Selectman for the 
" East Hartford 2"'i & 3^^ | Town of East Hartford. 

December, 1783." ) 



TOWN HISTORY. 95 

The meeting was duly opened by the selectmen, and Wm. 
Pitkin, Es(]. (4th), w^xs chosen modei-ator. 

Jonathan Stanley was chosen town clerk ajid treasurer, 
offices which he held for eighteen years, part of the time 
without reelection. Other officers were elected as follows: 

SelectAuen. — Daniel Pitkin, Capt. Richard Pitkin, and (Japt. 
Samuel Smith. 

OonsfaMcs. — Mr. Jolm Wyles and Mr. Timothy Bryant. 
Mr. Wyles was excused, as were several others, and Mr. 
George Olmsted was appointed in his place. 

Collector of Country Tax. — Mr. John Wyles, who was 
excused, and Mr. C4corge Olmsted a])pointed, for the First 
Society ; and Mr. Timothy Bryant for the "■ Eastermost 
Society." 

Critviljurynum. — Mr. Ash])el Pitkin, Capt. Moses For])es, 
Timothy Stedman. 

Surveyors of Hujlvwayn. — George Oilman, 'J'heodore Stan- 
ley, Joseph Arnold, Russell KilI)onrn, John Cadwell, Timothy 
Braynard, Elislia Buckland, Richard Pitkin, Jr. 

Fence Viewers. — Capt. John Wells, Geo. Olmsted, Stephen 
Cone. 

Listers. — Daniel Pitkin, Ste]>hen Treot, Nathan Stedman. 

Leather Sealers. — Jonathan Stanley, Benjamin Brown. 

TytJiingmen. — Levi Goodwin, David Pitkin, John Symonds, 
pjbenezcr Bryant. 

Packers of Tobacco. — David Hills, John Hnrlburt. 

Sealers of Measures. — Jonathan Olmsted ; of Weights., Geo. 
Oilman. 

Elisha Pitkin, Esq., Capt. Jolm Wells, Richard Pitkin, Esq., 
and Capt. Samuel Smith w^ere appointed a committee to take 
care of the ferry, and to lease the same. 

The selectmen and Elisha Pitkin, Esq., were ajjpointed to 
meet a committee appointed by the town of Hartford to 
adjust the accounts Ijetween the two towns, to divide the 
moneys, stock on hand, if any, debts, and the town poor, 
according to the act of incorporation. These accounts with 
the " ancient town of Hartford " were not finally adjusted 
until 1787. 



96 HISTORY OP EAST HARTFORD. 

The selectmen were ordered to fix a j>rice on the guns 
belonging to the new town, and to sell the same, reserving 
only so many as were necessary to arm such number of 
soldiers as the law oljliged the town to snjtply. 

The first town meeting was held in the old meeting-house 
which stood on a hill near the noi'tli end of the Hockanum 
causeway until 1835 ; and subsequent meetings have been 
held in the meeting-houses ever since. In 1813 a town meet- 
ing was held in the meeting-house (at Manchester Center) in 
Orford Parish ; and from that time until the town of Man- 
chester was incorporated (in 1823), the meetings were held 
there alternately with the First Society. 

After the new meeting-house was built on the corner of the 
Bridge Road, in January, 1836, the town gave the First 
Society J|1,000 for the use of the basement for the purpose of 
holding town and electors' meetings only, permanently ; and 
it was j)rovided that the town l)e sul»jected to no further 
expense for keeping the room or building in repair. At that 
meeting a vote was passed that the bell be rung one hour 
previous to town meetings. 

The freemen used to vote in the early meetings by rising 
from their seats when the ayes or noes were called for, 
whether for the choice of town or State officers ; and the time 
was when a few sturdy Democrats faced an overwhelming 
majority for many years, always rising to be counted, — "the 
same old ten," as they came to be called. Among the num- 
ber was Epaphras Olmsted, Benjamin Olmsted, Joseph Good- 
win, Sr., Isaac Lester, and Theodore Stanley. Their number 
slowly increased until there were fourteen; after that they 
gained more rapidly, and al)Out the year 1835 they were 
strong enough to "carry the day." On this, the occasion of 
their first triumph, Mr. Ira Anderson threw his hat — a tall, 
fuzzy "bell-crown" — high up toward the ceiling of the old 
meeting house, and shouted, " Glory to God ! Goliah's slain ! " 
He was promptly called to order by Dea. George Goodwin, 
whose quick sense of the sanctity of tlie place could not tole- 
rate such an act. 

Sometimes the votes were taken by a raising of hands. 



TOWN HISTORY. 97 

After a time important officers were elected by balloting; onr 
representatives being first balloted for in 1787. They were 
then voted for separately, all the electors present passing in 
their tickets before the count was made. When the first was 
chosen, the electors were asked to bring in their ballots for 
the second ; but the choice of the first usually indicated the 
choice of the other, and the mounted messenger waited only 
for the first result, and then galloped away to Hartford to tell 
how the election had gone here. 

Often the result was a foregone conclusion, and the story is 
told of a moderator who made the blunder of saying, "Gen- 
tlemen, you will now bring in your votes for General Griswold 
for first representative." 

In 1837 both representatives were voted for on a single slip 
of jjaper. The selectmen were first chosen by ballot in 1792. 
In 1837 the names of electors were taken down as they voted. 
As ]>opulation increased, and it became necessary to place 
greater safeguards about the l)allot-boxes, our present registry 
system became a general law. 

Our second town clerk and treasurer was Major Samuel 
Pitkin, who succeeded Jonathan Stanley in 1801. He held 
the offices thirty-five years, declining longer to serve in Nov., 
1835, when he was seventy-five years old. After the first 
few years he was not annually elected, but held his offices by 
the common consent of the people. His records are remark- 
alile for neatness and care. He was a graduate of Yale Col- 
lege, and represented our town in the legislature. He was a 
deacon twenty-six years. 

His son, Gen'l Samuel L. Pitkin, succeeded him, and held 
office two years. His pages are handsomely written, and neat 
as copper-plate printing. He also represented our town for 
three years. 

General Shubael Griswold was one of our selectmen from 
1801 to 1812, and represented our town in the legislature at 
diiferent times from 1805 to 1824, being elected in all thirteen 
times to that office. He was a merchant in East Hartford for 
more than twenty years. He first opened a store on the 
place now owned by Mr. R. A. Chapman. He afterwards 
13 



98 HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 

removed his place of business to the corner of Orchard street, 
whero»Mr. John L. Ohnsted now lives. He married for his 
first wife a daughter of Dr. Samuel Flagg; for his second 
wife a daughter of Mr. Elisha Stanley. General Ginswold 
came from Torrington. He possessed superior natural al)ili- 
ties, combined with great energy of character and a fitness 
for leadership. In the legislature he was one of the most 
prominent members of the House, and exerted a large influ- 
ence upon the legislation of that body. Although a Federal- 
ist, like the Pitkins, yet his flexibility and readiness as a 
leader enabled him to undermine their ancient prestige here, 
weakening their influence and lessening their share in the 
emoluments of the town. The fact that he had no other than 
a mercantile education, and yet could do tins, proves him a 
man possessed of more than ordinary force and tact. Indeed 
it was said of him, by one competent to speak, after his meet 
ing with President Monroe, at the old Wells tavern, that 
General Griswold would make the better president. 

The Hon. Richard D. Hubbard, ex-governor of our State, 
was a ward of Mr. Ozias Roberts, and a pupil in our academy. 
He was made a voter here in 1840, and rei)resented our town 
in the State legislature in 1842, and the following year, when 
the ferry and bridge question was again in agitation. 

The following is a list of those who have filled our higher 
town offices from the incorporation of the town to the close 
of 1879. The date shows the year of their first election ; the 
figure next following the number of times they were elected, 
— if elected more than once. 

Representatives. 



Hon. William Pitkin, 1784 to 1805. 
Elisha Pitkin, Esq., 1784 to 1805. 
Shubael Griswold, 1805, 13. 
Samuel Pitkin, 1805, 7. 
William Olmsted, 1812. 
Zebulon Bidwell, 1813, 3. 
Benjamin Lyman, 1815, 4. 
Daniel Pitkin, 1819, 2. 
Joseph Pitkin, 1819. 
James Pitkin, 1820. 
Daniel W. Griswold, 1820. 



Ralph R. Phelps, 1821. 
Lemuel White, 1824. 
Ozias Williams, 1824. 
Solomon Olmsted, 1825. 
Selah Webster, 1825, 2. 
Timothy Hall, 1826. 
John Pitkin, 1826, 2. 
Charles H. Olmsted, 1827, 3. 
George Goodwin, 1828, 3. 
Ozias Roberts, 1828, 4. 
Levi Wells, 1829. 



TOWN HISTORY. 



99 



Samuel Brewer, 1830, 4. 
Timothy Ellsworth, 1831. 
Ralph Pitkin, 1832, 2. 
Daniel Pitkin, 1832. 
Erastus Woodrufl", 1834, 4. 
Samuel L. Pitkin, 1836, 3. 
Joseph P. Jones, 1837. 
Ashbel Olmsted, 1838. 
Charles Forbes, 1838, 2. 
Pardon Brownell, 1839. 
Austin Hall, 1839. 
John Kennedy, 1840. 
Luinan Hurlburt, 1841. 
Richard D. Hul)bard, 1842, 2, 
William Bigelow, 1843, 2. 
Jame,s Fitch, 1844. 
Daniel Winslow, 1844. 
Leonard Fox, 1840. 
Henry Lester, 1847. 
Samuel Tripp, 1848. 
George IL Olmsted, 1848. 
Mahlon Forbes, 1849. 
Roderick F. Fowler, 1849. 
Edmund Abbey, 1850. 
Steplien Marston, 1851, 2. 
Eliliu Smith, 1851. 
Thomas Burnham, 1852, 2. 
Cliauncey Lester, 1853. 
George Risley, 1 853. 
Horace Cornwall, 1854, 2. 
Thomas Wyllis, 1855. 
Ezra E. Smith, 1850. 
Joseph Morrimau, 1857. 
Martin O. Hills, 1857. 
Samuel E. Chapman, 1858, 2 

Jonathan Stanley,* 1783, 18. 
Samuel Pitkin, 1801,35. 
Samuel L. Pitkin, 1835, 2. 
Ashbel Olmsted, 1837. 
Salmon Phelps, 1838, 5. 
Owen P. Olmsted, 1839, 2. 
Edward S. Goodwin, 1845, 8 
Edward Hayden, 1848. 



George P. Persons, 1858. 
Francis Hanmer, 1859. 
William B. Smith, 1859. * 
Selden Brewer, 1800. 
Aaron G. Olmsted, 1861. 
Thomas Dowd, 1861. 
Reuben A. Chapman, 1862, 3. 
Henry Fox, 1862. 
William Hanmer, 1863. 
Joseph O. Hu;-lburt, 1863. 
James Hills, 1864. 
Walter S. Pitkin, 1864. 
Edwin Brewer, 1865. 
Elijah Ackley, 1865. 
.John R. Beaumont, 1866. 
Charles T. Marston, 1866. 
L. Newton Olmsted, 1867. 
George Forbes, 1867. 
James F. Comstock, 1869. 
Albert C. Raymond, 1869. 
Moses Chandler, 1870. 
John L. Olmsted, 1870. 
Z. Arthur Burnham, 1871. 
Henry L. Goodwn, 1871, 3. 
William M. Stanley, 1873. 
(Jeorge W. Pratt, 187;J, 2. 
Lucius W. Mcintosh, 1875. 
Charles F. Hanmer, 1875. 
Henry R. Hayden, 1876, 2. 
Elizur R. Ensign, 1876. 
Heman A. Tyler, 1877. 
Seth Risley, 1878. 
Joseph O. Goodwin, 1878. 
Sterling C. Newton, 1879. 
William H. Boyle, 1879. 

Town Clerks. 

Joseph Hurlburt, 1854, 7. 
Clarence M. Brownell, 1856, 3. 
George T. Clark, 1859. 
-JohnL. Olmsted, 1865, 2. 
Ephraim Rood, 1867, 4. 
Edward W. Hayden, 1871, 2. 
Lee H. Buckland, 1873. 
Joseph O. Goodwin, 1874, 5. 



*He removed to Marcellus, N. Y., about 1801. His wife was Jerusha 
Roberts, daughter of Benjamin. 



100 



HISTORY OP EAST HARTFORD. 



Danielf^itkin, 1783, 13, 
Ricliard Pitkin, 1783. 
Saiimel Smith, 1783, 7. 
Timothy Clieeney, 1784, 3. 
Moses Forbes, 1785, 10. 
George Olmsted, 1786. 
Samuel Flagg, 1780. 
Daniel Marsh, 1786, 2. 
Nathan Stedman, 1788, 4. 
Deodat Woodbridge, 1792. 
Richard Pitkin, Jr., 1793, 4. 
Ozias Bidwell, 1793, 4. 
William Olmsted, Jr., 1793, ' 
George Griswold, 1796. 
William Wallace, 1796, 7. 
Russell Kilbourn, 1797. 
Elisha Buckland, 1797, 4. 
George Pitkin, Jr., 1798, 3. 
John Olds, 1800, G. 
Zebulon Bidwell, 1800, It. 
Shubael Griswold, 1800, 11. 
Daniel Hills, 1802, 7. 
Nathaniel Merrow, 1809, 5. 
Timothy Williams, 1807, 6. 
Daniel Pitkin, Jr., 1810. 
Charles Bruce, 1813. 
Benjamin Lyman, 1813, 2. 
Elihu Olmsted, 1814. 
Levi Goodwin, 1815, 2. 
Josiali Hollister, 1815, 2. 
Ozias Williams, 1815, 6. 
Martin Stanley, 1816. 
Joseph Goodwin, 1818, 2. 
Ephraim Wyllis, 1818, 2. 
Joseph Treat, 1818. 
Dudley Woodbridge, 1818. 
John Pitkin, 1819. 
Samuel Brewer, 1819, 6. 
Martin Keeney, 1819, 4. 
Selah Webster, 1819, 4. 
Aaron Buckland, 1819. 
George Roberts, 1820, 2. 
SoUmion Olmsted, 1822, 2. 
Austin Hall, 1822, 2. 



Selectmen. 

Isaac Lester, 1824, 2. 
Levi Wells, 1826, 5. 
David Bemis, 1827, 2. 
Joseph Spencer, 1829, 4. 
James Stanley, 1831, 
Sylvanus Wing, 1831. 
Ashbel Olmsted, 1832, 5. 
Orrin Forbes, 1832, 2. 
George Pitkin, 1835. 
Daniel Easton, 1836. 
Elihu Smith, 1837, 6. 
Charles Forbes, 1837, 3. 
Eli Olmsted, 1839, 2. 
Luman Hurlburt, 1838, G. 
Allen Brewer, 1840, 
Samuel L. Pitkin," 1841, 2. 
Roderick F. Fowler, 1842, 5, 
Mahlon Forbes, 1843, 12. 
Selden Brewer, 1845, 5. 
Julius Marble, 1845. 
Jesse Judson, 1846. 
Henry Olmsted, 1848. 
George Brewer, 1849. 
Edwin Stevens, 1849, 3. 
Henry Lester, 1850, 
Ransom Riley, 1850, 2, 
Anson Hills, 1851. 
Aaron G, Olmsted, 1851, 3. 
Seth Risley, 1852, 2. 
Henry Fox, 1852, 2. 
William B. Smith, 1854, 2, 
Ralph Pitkin, 1856, 3, 
William M. Stanley, 1856, 15. 
Daniel Winslow, 1859, 2. 
Ira Hills, 1861. 
George P. Persons, 1861, 3. 
William H. Risley, 1862. 
Amariah M. Hills, 1865. 
John A, Burnham, 1865, 
Rufus Wadsworth, 1866, 3, 
Norton L, Turner, 1868. 
William H. Ulrich, 1869. 
Ira W. Porter, 1870, 2. 
Elizur R. Ensign, 1870, 2. 



TOWN HISTORY. 



101 



Daniel A. Tuttle, 1870, 3. 
Charles W. Roberts, 1872, 6. 
John H. Elmer, 1873, 3. 
Ashbel Gilman, 1873. 



Town 



Jonathan Stanley, 1783, 18. 
Samuel Pitkin, 1801, 35. 
Ozias Roberts, 1835, 2. 
Solomon Olmsted, 1837. 
Horace Williams, 1838. 
Pardon Brownell, 1831), 7. 
Jared Ayres, 1846. 
Daniel Pitkin, Jr., 1847, 4. 
Ralph Pitkin, 1848. 



George W. Pratt, 1874, 2. 
Norman L. Anderson, 1874,Ji. 
Joseph Merriman, 1875. 
Spencer H. Burnham, 1878. 

Treasurers. 

Ransom Riley, 1852, 4. 
Sidney Pitkin, 1856, 4. 
George T. Clark, 1860, 3. 
Ezra E. Smith, 1863, 3. 
Thomas Dowd, 1865, 5. 
William Hanmer, 1870. 
Edward S. Goodwin, 1871. 
Leonard T. Pitkin, 1872, 6. 



THE TOWN'S POOE. 



CHAPTER VIII. 



When Hartford, so soon after the close of the Revolution- 
ary war, divided with our young town her somewhat meagre 
assets, she gave us also our share of the town's poor, a pos- 
session which the scriptures and our annual town reports lead 
us to helieve will continue with us until the end of time. How 
they were provided for at first does not appear. It was not 
decided to build a house for them until 1787, when sixty 
square rods of gromid was bought for that purpose of Mr. 
Daniel Pitkin. This land was bounded north and east by 
land of Jonathan Pitkin, west by the highway, and south by 
land of Samuel Pitkin. The house was to be forty by eighty 
feet upon the ground, and one and one-half stories high. 
We have been unable to determine its location. The house 
and land were sold in 1800, and it was voted ta let out the 
poor to the person " that will keep them cheapest, where they 
will be comfortably provided for." A committee to receive 
proposals was appointed. This practice was probably con- 
tinued until the year 1823, when steps were taken to estab- 
lish a work-liouse in conjunction with a house for the town's 
poor. The committee were to obtain a temporary privilege 
with Hartford, or some other town, for the confinement and 
superintendence and management of sentenced offenders, at 
the town's expense. At this time our present town farm in 
Hockanum was purchased, and the buildings were altered to 
suit the uses to which they were to be put. The by-laws of 
the town of Hartford were adopted for its regulation. 

An addition was made to the north and east sides of the 
alms-house, twenty by twelve feet, and two stories high in 
1849, to meet the expanding necessities of the institution. 



TBE town's poor. 103 

The house was wholly }»iiriied down in 1877. The fire 
caught in the " tramp's room " in the day-time, it is not known 
how. The town at once leased the Wadsworth house across 
the road for a temporary home for its dependent family. 

Some of the early votes in regard to what are still oddly 
known as the " out-door poor," may prove of interest. 

In 1787 the selectmen were directed to jirocure passage for 
John Ab))ott to Ireland, — proI)a)>ly an easy method of shirk- 
ing pi-ospcctive res})onsibilitie.s in regard to him. 

In 17 Uo Dr. George Griswold was i)aid for visiting an 
Indian woman at Mr. Ozias Bidwell's and dressing her 
wounds; and Mr. Doodat Woodbridge for articles supplied her. 
This case is further alluded to in the chapter on Indians. 

In 1795 the expenses of "Jupiter Negro's" last sickness 
were paid l»y the town. He was ]»roljal>ly a suiterannuated 
slave. 

" York Negro," of Hartford, was " suffering" here in 1801, 
and it was voted that if that town made no provision for liim, 
the selectmen were to " transport the said York, by a proper 
precept," to one of the selectmen of Hartford. 

Ten dollars were voted in 1828 to assist a man and his 
family to the ••' Western world." 

A (piestion in regard to the supi)ort of " Old Flo' " arose 
in 1830. She was an aged negress, once the servant of 
Elisha Pitkin, Esq. She will appear again in the chapter on 
Customs and Laws. 

Small offenders were sentenced to the woi'k-house a few 
years ago, more generally than now. They were employed 
in farming operations, and, in winter, were set to picking 
oakum. 



PEST-HOUSE AND INOCULATION. 



CHAPTER IX. 



A PEST-HOUSE had been built on this side the Great River in 
1761 by order of tlie town of Hartford. It was l)uilt east of 
Benjamin Roberts' (now Hezekiah Roberts') house, three- 
fourths of a mile east of the country road leading to Glas- 
tonbury, and probably on the land of John Goodwin, who 
applied to the town in 1777 for satisfaction for the use of 
liis land and wood for the pest-house. I think it was built 
on " Pock-House Hill," the later site of Drs. Hall and 
Flagg's inoculation hospital. Its use was for those who were 
accidentally smitten with the small-pox ; while the later " hos- 
pital" was for the use of those who submitted voluntarily to 
the disease in the hope of escaping most of its terrible 
effects. 

Among the earliest business upon which our young town 
had to act was the petition of Drs. Timothy Hall and Sanniel 
Flagg to be allowed " to set up inoculation for the small-pox." 
Much doubt existed in regard to the wisdom of allowing 
people to subject themselves voluntarily to this so often fatal 
disease, and their petition was not granted. 

Public opinion, however, changed in the succeeding nine 
years, and in September, 1791, at a special town meeting 
called for that purpose, liberty was given them "■ to set up 
and carry on inoculation for the small-pox in this town dur- 
ing the term of time the civil authority and selectmen shall 
judge it consistent with the welfare of the inhabitants of the 
town : the petitioners allowing the town the lienefit of the 
said hospital, gratis, for the poor of the town that may have 
taken the small-pox the natural way." 

The following April their privilege to carry on inoculation 



PEST-HOUSE AND INOCULATION. 105 

ill their hospital was extended four years, " the term of time 
from the 15th of May to the 15th of September in each year 
excepted " : " Provided always that the s<^ doctors erect such 
buildings as the [civil] authority and selectmen shall judge" 
necessary and direct for cleansing, and al)ide by such rules 
and regulations as the s'' authority and selectmen shall judge 
proper and necessary for the safety and welfare of the in- 
habitants ; and the s*' Doctors Samuel Flagg and Tim" Hall 
shall give such bonds as shall be judged proper for their well 
and prudently managing the inoculation in the penal sum of 
one hundred pounds. Also, provided, that the said Doctors 
shall inoculate such of the inhabitants of this town as shall 
offer themselves at as low a lay as is or shall be done in Mid- 
dletown or Haddam." 

Dr. George Griswold was granted a like privilege for the 
Parish of Orford. 

In the record of this town meeting the following appears : 

" Whereas, Jonathan Stanley, Elisha Pitkin, Jun'', Selali 
Norton, Jonathan Benjamin, Tliomas Case, Samuel Hurlluirt, 
Stephen Abbey, Jun'', James Benjamin, being desirous of 
obtaining liberty of this town of taking the benefit of the 
safe and easy method discovered and pointed out by Divine 
Providence for carrying their families through that dreadful 
disorder the small-pox, by inoculation, do, in their own behalf, 
and in the behalf of any other inhabitants of this town who 
wish to join, ask liberty of this town to provide themselves 
a house or houses and everything else necessary for inocula- 
tion, and to inoculate their families under the same regula- 
tions and restrictions the hospital erected in this town is 
under. In consequence whereof " liberty was given them. 

The confidence of the people in this " safe and easy 
method," as practiced by the good doctors, was short-lived. 
The liberty granted in April was taken away from all the 
parties the following September. 

The hospital alluded to in these votes was a barn-like struc- 
ture with few windows, which stood on "Pock-House Hill," 
a promontory extending into the swamp pasture, at the foot 
of " Cow lane," south of Burnside avenue. The bowl-sha])ed 
14 



106 HISTORY OP EAST HARTFORD. 

hollow, whicli was once its cellar, may still be seen, while bits 
of brick, plaster, and glass are mixed in the soil about it. 

Two acres of land here were leased for the hospital to the 
T)octors by Mr. Joseph Hnrlburt, in October, 1791. There 
was included in it " a privilege for the patients to walk for 
recreation on s^ Hurlburt's land north 20 rods ; west as far 
as the division line between s^ Joseph and Samuel Hurlburt's 
land; and south .... to the river, without crossing it." 

The " recreations " of the patients are said to have been of 
a not very luxurious kind. They were made to slide down 
hill in wintry weather in the thinnest of cotton garments, 
and subjected to other rigorous treatment. The building 
itself was not palatial in its appointments, and they were fed 
with hominy and other coarse dishes. The presiding genius 
of the place was " Old Ocolo," a hideously pitted negro, who 
cared for the patients. When the friends of those confined 
brought them articles of food or clothing, they set them down 
at the fence and hurried away. Afterwards Old Ocolo came 
out for them. Nothing with salt in it was allowed. 

Calel) Goodwin was one of those who submitted to treat- 
ment, and Old Ocolo came one night to his father's bedroom 
window, with the breathless announcement : " Mr. Calel> is 
a-dyin', — want to see him — must come quick. He's a dyin', 
suah ! " Mr. Caleb, however, lived through it. 

But one patient is known to have died here, and that one 
was Mr. John Hurlburt, son of the lessor of the land. He 
was buried near the hospital. 

The hospital is remembered by some of our older citizens, 
one of whom tells of hunting swallow's nests in it; and of 
kicking over the old clothes upon the floor. It was fmally 
taken down, and its material removed. 



PUBLIC HOUSES AND SALE OF 
LIQUOES. 



CHAPTER X. 



The necessity of providing for the wants of travelers was 
early apparent to the settlers of onr State. June 3, 1644, the 
following' order was passed by the General Court : 

"• Whereas many strayngers & passengers that vppon occa- 
tion haue recourse to these Townes, and are streightened for 
waint of entertainment, It is now Ordered, that these seuerall 
Townes shall p''uide amongst the selucs in ech Towne one 
sufficient inhabitant to keepc an Ordinary, for p^uisio and 
lodgcing in some comfortable manner, that such passengers 
or strayngers may know where to resorte ; and such inhabit- 
ants as by the seuerall Townes shall be chosen for the said 
searuice shall lie ])''sented to two Magistrats, that they may 
l)e judged meet for that imployment, and this to be effected 
by the seuerall Townes w'^'in one month, under penalty of 
40s. a month, ech month ether Towne shall neglect y^" 

But ^vhat proved a convenience for the stranger soon 
became a snare to the citizen, by reason of " that great abuse 
w^h is creeping in by excesse in wyne and strong waters;" 
and it was ordei'ed that no inhabitant should continue at any 
common victualing house in his own town " above halfe an 
hower att a tyme in drinkeing wyne, bear, or hott waters, 
nether shall any who draweth & selleth wyne suffer any to 
drynke any more wyne att on tyme then after the proportion 
of three to a pynt of sacke." Neither was he to sell any 
liquor out of his house except under a writing from a master 
of a family ; nor sell any at any time except in case of neces- 
sity, and then in moderation. To the Indians he was to sell 
such cider only as they drank in his presence, that drunken- 
ness and the evil effects thereof might be prevented. 



108 HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 

Suitable fiues were provided for the punishment of drunk- 
enness and excessive drinking, and for continuing above half 
an hour tippling; " and for tipling at unseasonable times, or 
after nine a clock at night " ; and in default of payment 
offenders were to " be imprisoned untill they pay, or bee set 
in the stocks one houre or more, in some open place, as the 
weather will permit, not exceeding three houres at one time." 
Public whipping was also prescribed for drunkenness. 

Innkeepers were to provide for the beasts of their guests, 
enclosed pastures in summer, and stable room, with hay and 
provender, in winter. 

The constables were from time to time to make search 
throughout the limits of their towns, " uppon Lord's days and 
Lecture dayes in times of exercise, and allso at all other 
times," as they see cause, for offences against the laws, and 
the innkeepers were always to be ready to answer to the 
court. 

The first " ordinary " or house of common entertainment 
on this side the river was kept by John Sadler, we think on a 
brook near the Connecticut River in Naubuc. Mention is 
made of it in 1648 as the place where two delinquents, Geo. 
Chappell and Matthew Williams, were likely to resort. Chap- 
pell had been fined five pounds for abusing a' constable and 
for excessive drinking, and an execution was out against him 
for other offences. Williams was an old offender, had been 
twice whipped, and fined five pounds, and a fresh judgment 
had been declared against him. These worthies had fled 
from justice, and Sadler was warned to give notice to the 
magistrates in case they appeared at his house. 

Sadler's ordinary is mentioned again in 1663, when the 
inhabitants of Hockanum were ordered to make two bridges, 
" one over the brook at the place called Sadler Ordinary, the 
other at Frog Brook." Frog Brook crosses jSfain street near 
the house of Mr. Joseph H. Porter in Hockanum. 

In 1710 Philip Smith was given liberty by the town of 
Hartford to keep a public house on the east side of the river, 
he attending to all the rules of the law. We can only guess 
at its site, but think it was kept near the ferry over the Great 



PUBLIC HOUSES AND SALE OP LIQUORS. 109 

River, where tlie chances of crossing- in all weathers would 
seem to indicate the necessity of a pnltlic house. Possibly it 
stood just north of the old ferry road, south of the present 
bridge, where, many years later, Daniel Pitkin kept a tavern, 
the well of which is still there. Mr. Smith, at any rate, 
owned land here, near Gilbert's Island, as well as 300 acres 
of upland on Silver Lane and eastward, of which he sold 
parcels to Benjamin Hills (1709) and Thomas Spencer 
(1714). 

The next year Mr. Thomas Olcott was licensed to keep a 
house of entertainment at Hoj) Brook, in the Five Miles, 
setting up his hostelry near the site of the present homestead 
of Sidney Olcott in Manchester. 

Benjamin's tavern stood in 1776 on the site of the house 
now occupied by Mr. John L. Olmsted. It is named in an 
almanac of that date as one of the principal public houses on 
the old Boston stage route. A little way down the lane in 
its rear stood a weaver's shop, owned also by the Benjamins. 

Samuel Hiirlburt kept a tavern at one time on the corner 
of Burnside avenue and Main street, before 1800. 

Near the corner of Silver lane Dr. Epaphras Bidwcll kept 
a public house in the house next east of Mr. Sisson's store, 
about 1820. 

Levi Goodwin once kept a tavern on Main street on the site 
of the house of Mr. Ralph Olmsted, and his l)ooks show that 
his bar was well patronized by many of our once substantial 
citizens (about 1800). 

In Burnside a public house was kept in the old house lately 
moved back from the street, and recently owned l)y Mr. Dud- 
ley Hills. The tavern was kept by Mr. Hills' father. 

One of the older public houses, which some of us rememl)er, 
was that kept by the Wells family. This tavern (still stand- 
ing) was in its day one of the most resorted to in town. It 
was kept in 1811 by the Woodbridge family, and in 1817 l)y 
a Mr. Buckler. It has a low, spacious bar-room, with a slat- 
enclosed bar, until recently intact, with a large fire-place on 
one side. The "best chamber" was until lately complete in 
its ancient furnishings, with flowery-blue wall-paper, and two 



110 HISTORY OP EAST HARTFORD. 

hiiih-post bedsteads, canopied with large-figured blue curtains. 
It had curtain rests, like rosettes of brass, and brass andirons 
in its fire-place, over which hung old-time prints of historic 
scenes, cheaply colored and nearly a hundred years old. The 
other chambers were as bare as barracks. A low-ceiled hall, 
Avith two corner fire-places and a bench around the wall, was 
kept for dancing parties, which used especially to resort here 
in sleighing time, having gay times, and racing their horses, 
with tremendous jangling of bells, up and down the street ; 
their sleighs were large, high-backed, green and yellow aifairs, 
with yellow or red linings. The liarns and sheds that stood 
north of this tavern, close to the road, were burned down a 
number of years ago. Here once stopped the gay stage- 
coaches that rattled over the Boston and Providence turn- 
pikes, to give their horses a mouthful of water, and their 
passengers a chance to visit the bar within, if they chose. 

President Monroe lodged at this tavern when on his tour in 
1817. It was then kept by a Mr. Buckler. He was called 
upon by General Griswold and others of our first citizens, and 
was serenaded by the drum and fife cor])s of the artillery com- 
pany. He probably occupied the " best chamber " during his 
stay. His passage through the country was a <piiet one, with- 
out display of any kind. 

Later in date was the tavern kept for many years by Mr. 
Henry Phelps. It stood on the site now occupied 'by the res- 
idence of Mr. Henry R. Hay den, on the corner of Mill street. 
The large elm overlumg its roof in the rear. Just below the 
corner of Mill street stood the great roomy barns and sheds 
of the once prosj)erous hotel. Here stopped tlio stages while 
they ran, and here also were quartered the menageries with 
their strange animals, when they stopped in town to exhibit 
on Mill street, just below. Through its portals passed Gen. 
Lafayette upon his crutches on tlie occasion of his triumphal 
visit in 1824, and here the militia officers, gay with feathers 
and scarlet and tinsel, did most resort in the glorious old 
muster-days which gave them a shining prominence over all 
other men. And it was here they sold good French brandy 
for four cents a drink, and allowed the customer to help him- 
self! 



PUBLIC HOUSES AND SALE OP LIQUORS. Ill 

This hotel was kept by the Yaii Dorns, before Mr. Phelps 
took it ill charge; and was owned before that by Richard 
Goodwin, and known as the old Goodwin tavern. The store 
and parts of the old rambling hostelry were moved down Mill 
street, and made into houses on the old training field. The 
main l)uilding was moved back and the frame used in the 
house now standing on its site. 

In the meadow Mr. Daniel Pitkin kept a tavern, north of 
the ferry road, as has been said, and he probably had much to 
do with traA elers. The stages passed here on their way across 
the ferry to the old Coffee House on State street in Hartford, 
where they put up. Pitkin's tavern was burned down acci- 
dentally in the day time. Later the Pitkins built a tavern on 
the Bridge Road near the site of the present lumber yard. 
This was also burned ; and was rebuilt and again burned. 

While Daniel Pitkin's tavern was in vogue on the ferry 
road, John Pantry Jones set up tavern-keeping on the line of 
the South Meadow Road, a little south of Mr. Chauncy Les- 
ter's house. The road at that time turned sharply to the east 
at this point, instead of taking its present course. Here Mr. 
Jones found business so good that he had to keep three flijt- 
irons in the fire all the time. Apples were plenty, and cider- 
brand}^ was the favorite drink. 

The hotel now kept by Mr. Luke Morse, was once kept by 
Mr. Joseph P. Jones, and was much patronized during the 
field days of the militia upon our meadows. Here General 
Pratt rode up to the door on the occasion of the grand review 
of 1843, when General Johnson of Tecumseh fame was here, 
and "• something " was passed out to wet his potential lips. 

" Cotton's tavern " and store, on the corner of the Tolland 
Turnpike and Burnside Avenue, was formerly owned by Euo- 
dias Bid well, and probably l>y his ancestors before him. One 
"• Biddell " is put down in an almanac of 1763, as keeper of 
a public house in East Hartford. It was bought by Mr. Henry 
Cotton in 1832. In the good old times before the days of 
the railroads this was quite a station on the road, and the 
jocund spirits of the neighborhood passed many a sociable 
evening here. On one occasion they bantered one of the sitters 



112 HISTORY OP EAST HARTFORD. 

into selling his old greasy fur cap, wliich tlicy immolated in 
the stove. The blaze it created set the chimney afire, and 
raised a consideral)le alarm. 

Some facetious things were said at this tavern. " Well, 

well," said Lewis B , one evening, as he came in ; " G 

has really got to move his blacksmith's shop." "How so?" 
asked the chorus, while G himself looked up in mild sur- 
prise. "Oh, he strikes so hard he's jarring C 's water- 
melons all off the vines." 

There Avere other public houses, on the stage routes princi- 
pally, in what is now the town of Manchester, — one at Buck- 
land's corners, and one at Manchester Green, kept once by 
Capt. Hills, and afterwards by the Woodbridges. At the last, 
during the llevolution, is said to have disappeared a person 
of some note, who was traveling alone toward Boston at this 
time. His horse was found astray in the woods. Some child- 
ren berrying afterwards found the missing man's body and 
told Mr. Corning, the spinning-wheel maker, who was in the 
woods for timber, and it was taken care of. His sword was 
found beneath an old stoop some years later. It was thought 
that he belonged in Philadelphia, and that he was murdered 
for his money. Indeed, one story has it that he was a pay- 
master of the army, and so was supposed to have a large sum 
of money on his person. 

The restrictions in regard to the sale of liquors grew lax as 
time Avent on. In 1820, the selectmen were to license who- 
ever they thought fit to sell them, provided they licensed no 
one who had, or would, sell to the town's poor. It was made 
their business, too, to inquire if any retailed liquors contrary 
to law. 

In 1830 the town voted that no ardent spirits be furnished 
by the surveyors of highways — indicating that the road-mak- 
ing " bees" had sometimes taken a convivial tone. 

In 1840, and again in 1841, the town voted that all persons 
might have liberty to sell wines and spirituous liquors during 
the ensuing year. 

Nearly all the old time stores in town dealt in liquors. 
Among them was the " old red store " in Podunk, which stood 



PUBLIC HOUSES AND SALE OP LIQUORS. 113 

just north of the " Island Road," north of Mr. Arthur Burn- 
ham's house. It was the bane of Podunk for many years, a 
haunt for drinking loafers, and a place for hen-shoots, and 
like amusements. About its fire were prol)ably told some of 
the toughest fish and hunting stories that this locality has 
known. The building was moved down on to Prospect street 
and is now owned by Mr. Patrick McAloon ; and through all 
the peaceful borders of Podunk no trace of its evil influence 
remains. 

Pitkin's store (now Mr. G. W. Darlin s) in the meadow, and 
Goodwin's on Main street, with its low roofed cellar, were 
places of daily refreshment to the lounger and the passer- 
by, whose habits of imbibition were the result of general cus- 
tom rather than of individual weakness, as it is regarded to- 
day. 

In 1811 John Cotton was fined ten dollars for allowing 
liquor to be drunk on his premises. This was done in viola- 
tion of some by-law of the town ; but he showed that it had 
been done in his absence, and through fear of a stranger, and 
his fine was remitted by vote of the town. Mr. Cotton's store 
was the one now occupied by Mr. Luther Pratt, on Silver Lane. 
Mr. Cotton had but one leg, and he used to sit on his counter 
and serve his customers without getting down, when possible. 



16 



BURYING GROUNDS. 



CHAPTER XI. 



Until the year 1712, or a little earlier, perhaps, oiir people 
buried their dead in Hartford, either in the old Center Bury- 
ing Ground, in the rear of the Center Church, or in that other 
burial place on the north side of State street, near the State 
House, now completely obliterated. But the inconvenience of 
passing the Connecticut at difficult seasons of the year led 
them to ask for a burial place on this side the river. 

April 8,1709, the town voted '-that Capt. Joseph Wads- 
worth, Capt. Cyprian Nichols, and Mr. Nathaniel Hooker be 
a committee to view a convenient place on the east side of the 
great river which may be suitable for a burying yard, for the 
people there, and, if necessary, purchase land therefor, and 
lay the same out at the town's charge." 

In January, 1710 (old style, 1711 new style), one acre of 
ground was deeded to the town of Hartford by Mr. John 
Pantry. It was bounded on the east and south by land of 
John Pantry ; on the west by tlie highway, and on the north 
by land belonging to John Goodwin ; and was twenty rods in 
length and eight rods in width, and forms at present the 
northwest part of our Center Burying Ground. 

The first burial in it is said to have been that of the l)ody 
of Thomas Trill, an old soldier of the Narragansett War. 
The oldest stone is one in memory of Obadiah Wood, a fellow- 
soldier of Tiill. His stone bears the following legend, in 
capitals : 

"Here | lieth the bo | dy op Obadi | ah Wood who | Died April 

THE I 11, 1713, IN the I 64: YEAR OK | HIS AGE." 

The ground set aside for sacred use soon became covered 
with wild growth, and in 1713 William Roberts was paid 



BURYING GROUNDS. 116 

three shillings by the Ecclesiastical KSociety for cutting tlie 
bnshes in the burial plot. He was also appointed with Joseph 
Meakins to " fort the burying place with a good five-rail fort, 
either to take the said burying place into John Goodwin's hill, 
or to fort it distinct, as they shall be advised." 

In 1806 about an acre of new ground was purchased on the 
east side, of Joseph Goodwin, to enlarge the grounds. The 
price paid was at the rate of ten pounds per acre. Elisha 
Pitkin, Es(|., and Dr. Samuel Flagg were appointed a burying 
ground connnittee. They were to fence the burial lot, and to 
rent it for pasturing sheep and calves only. This was an 
easy method of keeping down the bushes, Ijriars, and weeds. 
They were also to move the stones in the old yard to make a 
road to the new purchase, — the use of a bier having made a 
road of any sort unnecessary l)efore. These stones were 
moved only a few feet, north or south, to make room for the 
road between them, and this vote accounts for the apparent 
overlapping of some of the graves along this road. At this 
time the selectmen were directed to fence all the burying lots 
in this town, and to rent them for pasturing sheep and calves 
only. 

In 1807 the town sold sixteen rods of ground on the south 
side of the Center Burying Ground, near Main street, in 
exchange for land at the rear on the same line. This prob- 
ably was for the convenience of a road to the new addition on 
the south of the original plot. The ground was enlarged 
from time to time, both on the east and south sides, as was 
necessary, the land for the purpose lieing bought of the Good- 
wins. 

The original south line of this burying ground ran along 
near the front of the tomb of the Pitkin family. For the site 
of this tomb a triangular piece was sold to Elisha Pitkin, P]sq., 
by Joseph Goodwin, who set aside the land west of it for a 
burial place for himself and his family, and which is still 
retained by his descendants for that purpose. 

The early burials in the Center yard were made without 
much attention to any orderly arrangement of families, and 
the seekers after a lost ancestry have sometimes a weary 
search before they get together those of their family name. 



116 HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD, 

The slal)S and tallies and monuments in this yard bear 
hundreds of names, conspicuous in the history of our town, 
and to one at all familiar with our annals the study of them 
possesses a pleasant fascination. For him their quaint records 
raise pictures of times and customs and tastes serenely remote 
from the noisy commonplace of his own time, and as he 
meets name after name with which he l)ecame familiar in the 
records, and gets fresh information of the talents and the 
virtues of their possessors, he feels that he is indeed in 
goodly company, who yet speak to him in no uncertain tone. 
And not the least pleasant thing about these dear conscien- 
tious ancestors of ours is their fashion of mortuary inscription 
and device. Scrupulous in their tastes, their fancies flowered 
only heavenward, and then with a severe suppression wdiich 
must have made the grave-stone cutter the most morl)id man 
of his day. And we often wonder as we look at his flat-faced, 
bulbous-nosed cherubs, with their wings of escalloped stone, 
whether his inability to soar above his fettered art did not 
make him morosely skeptical of anything better in this life, 
or in that which is to come. 

The epitaphs are freighted, also, with the somewhat somber 
cast of religious thought of their time. They are full of 
admonition and of doleful warning: ^ 

" Death is a debt to nature due, 
Which I liave paid, and so must you," 

is a very frequent one. And yet they express a wide range 

of feeling, and soar sometimes into the empyrean, as in this 

couplet : 

"The cloud 's dispel'' the stormy daager 's past. 
And I've attain*! the peaceful shores at last." 

The following is one of the most curious in the yard : 

" In memory of Mr. Phenehas son of Mr. Thomas and Mrs. Mary Burn- 
ham, who died Tuyttmphingly in hops of a goyful Resurrection in Dec. 
y' 22, A. D. 1776, in the 23rd year of his Age."^ 

Another on a young woman of thirty-three is peculiar: 

" Now she is dead and cannot stii% 
Her cheek is like the fading rose; 
Which of us next will follow her 
The Lord Almighty only knows." 



BURYING GROUNDS. 117 

But we have not space for more. A long list of names and 
of epita})lis from this yard is in the possession of the writer, 
who compiled it, and it furnishes odd and edifying reading 
for a leisure hour. Better than this, however, is a study of 
the old liclien-patched monuments themselves in the open air, 
beneath the same sky that was over the homely heroes they 
celebrate, when they visibly walked our streets or labored in 
our fields. 

Buried in this yard, not far from the street, is the Hon. 
William Pitkin, for several years governor of the Colony, an 
office which he held until his death. 

On the highest part of the hill is the soldiers' monument, 
in memory of those who died in the late Civil War. 

SPENCER STREET YARD. 

This yard (now in Manchester) was the second one laid 
out on this side of the river. Its oldest stone bears date of 
1770. Here we find the names of Bidwell, Bunco, Cadwell, 
Elmer, Hills, Keeney, Kennedy, McKee, Marsh, Olcott, Spen- 
cer, and Symonds — most of them of people who had to do 
with the welfare of the " eastermost parish" in its early days. 

SOUTH BURYING GROUND. 

Of the two yards in Hockanum, the one on tlie meadow 
lane shows the earliest date — 1776. The land for this yard 
is said to have been given for burial purposes by the Wads- 
worths, though no record of it has been found. The most 
prominent names found here are Arnold, Fox, Jones, Keeney, 
Porter, Wadsworth. 

SOUTH MIDDLE BURYING GROUND. 

On motion of Col. Jonathan Wells and others in 1777, the 
selectmen of Hartford were instructed to purchase a conven- 
ient place south of the Hockanum River, for a "• decent bury- 
ing ground," at the cost of the town. Tlic earliest record of 
a burial here is in 1781. In this yard are buried many whose 
names fill important places in our records. Col. Jonathan 
Wells was a colonel in the Revolutionary War. There are 



118 HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 

also the names of Brewer, Ensign, Forbes, Hall, Hills, Kent- 
field, Lester, Little, Porter, Risley, Roberts, Smith, Treat, 
Warren, and Wells. 

A new hearse-honse in this yard was bnilt in 1862. In 
1875 the town appropriated -ii^SOO for the )»urchase of a new 
hearse. The old hearse was a low, mournful affair, with ontr- 
side curtains and fringes of faded and weather-worn black, 
and ought to be preserved as a lugubrious relic of the past. 

An effort was made in 1838 to [)rocurc the lay-out of a 
burying ground in Scotland (now Burnside); but, although 
continued to the next town meeting, nothing appears to have 
been done about it. 

OTHER GRAVES. 

In a few cases burials have been made in places outside 
the common burying grounds. This was oftenest done to 
prevent the spread of infectious diseases. There were, not 
long ago, several graves on the hillside east of the Ellington 
road, north of Gilman's brook. They were graves of persons 
who died with the small-{)ox, and were buried near their 
homes. A shattered grave- stone lies here on the sod, bearing 
the name of Capt. John Gilman, who died in 1761, aged 49. 
Of the burial of John Hurlburt near the small-pox hospital, 
on '' Pock-House Hill,'' we have already s])oken. 

On the south bank, near Willow Brook, and many rods 
east from Main street, stands a leaning flag-stone mth the 
inscription : " In memory of Serg't Heman Baker, Ju^, of 
Tolland, he was captivated by y^ British troops, Sept. 15th, 
1776, son of Mr. Heman Baker & Lois his wife he died on 
his way home with y^ small-pox Jan^ 21st, 1777, in y 29th 
year of his age." He came up the river on a vessel, and was 
put ashore at Hockanum. He died shortly afterward, and 
was buried here. 

FUNERAL CUSTOMS, ETC. 

One hundred years ago, our people had no wheeled vehicles, 
excepting stout and clumsy carts, and hearses were not 
known. The bodies of the dead were carried to the grave on 



BURYING GROUNDS. 119 

stout biers, borne upon men's shoulders. When tlie burial 
was from a distance — and bodies were often brought several 
miles, — many relays of bearers were needed, and the farmers 
assembled in such numbers as to far outnumber the mom^ners. 
And that none might faint by the way, there was usually 
provided a table of refreshments at the house of the dead. 
In the will of Ed: Vier of Wethersfield, brought into Court 
July 10, 1645, is this clause: "Item, my mynde is there 
shalbe 20s. bestowed vppon p^uissions of wyne, bear, caks, 
and such like of what may be had for my buriall." Other 
funeral customs are shown in the will of Dr. Kimball, who 
gives to nine of his near relatives and friends, each a beaver 
hat, a })air of gloves, and a weed. To their wives, each a 
mourning hood and scarf, and to Mrs. Hannah Pitkin a 
mourning ring, etc. 

The bier once in use in tliis town was a stout affair, made 
of timljer from four to five inclies S(|uare, and was in itself 
almost a load for four men. On this the plain, or newly- 
painted, coffin, with its narrow ends, was placed ; with the 
initials of the dead on its lid in round-headed brass tacks, 
or in metallic letters — once to be had at Mr. Henry Phelps' 
store. Over the coffin was pladed a heavy pall ; and then the 
men lifted the bier to their shoulders, and the slow proces- 
sion moved on, the funeral bell sometimes* tolling out the age 
of the deceased. The next Sabbath a funeral sermon was 
usually preached, tlie bereaved family occupying what was 
known as the mourner's pew . 

The following votes relate to the early equipments of this 
character. In 1723, Capt. Ozias Pitkin, l)y a vote of the 
Ecclesiastical Society, was chosen to pray the town of Hart- 
ford to procure a suitable black cloth for the solemnity of 
funerals in this society. The town at once added a sufficient 
sum to its rate to procure the same foi- them. 

In 1756, seven shillings were voted to Jonathan Stanley for 
making a bier. This was the one descril)ed above, and it was 
kept in a little hovel, like a sheep-cote, near the highway in 
front of the burying-ground. For some years after light- 
wheeled veliicles came into use, the liand-bier was used, it 

* There was no church bell in town until after 1835. 



120 HISTORY OP EAST HARTFORD. 

being thought a disrespect to the dead to trust their bodies to 
the jolting of a wagon. But innovation crept in ; and the 
first liorse-vehicle used was a frame on wheels, with mortices 
to receive the legs of the bier. A lighter bier was made at 
this time ; and this was always taken off and carried to the 
door of the house to receive its burden. The front wheels of 
the gearing were small, so that the horse could be turned 
aside at right angles to the veliicle, to facilitate putting the 
bier in place. Over all was placed the black cloth as in for- 
mer years. The driver sat on the slats of the bier, his feet 
resting on the whiffletree. The bier then in use, and the 
wheels of the carriage, which were used under the first 
liearse, are still preserved by Mr. G. S. Phelps. 

Afterwards was purchased a hearse witli a roof, and with 
heavily fringed black curtains on its sides. A house was 
built for it by Mr. Henry Pheljjs, in the Center Burying- 
ground, close by Main street. It was afterwards moved to its 
present site. The new hearse, which occupies it, was bought 
by contributors, and cost the town nothing. 

The coffms in the early times were made to order, close at 
home, after the death of the person. In the will of Ed: 
Vier, mentioned above, is this " Item : My mynd is that John 
Carrington shall have 20s. for making my coffen." Mr. 
George Burnliam, who lived on what is now Burnside avenue 
in our town, made many in his day, of that peculiar nar- 
rowed down shape to which the graves were also dug, a fasli- 
ion which has happily gone out of use. A dreadful smell of 
fresh paint and varnish usually arose from these hastily con- 
structed receptacles, a smell which came to be always associ- 
ated with funerals. 

SEXTONS, ETC. 

The first sextons of the Center Burying Ground, of whom 
we know anything, were the Goodwins — Joseph and Heze- 
kiah. Their familiar and helpful assistant was Uncle Hick 
Forbes, who slept in the loft of the old Polly Kendall house — 
a low gambrel-roofed house, half-hidden by lilac bushes, which 
stood just north of the site of the present residence of Mr. Al- 
bert C. Raymond, on tlie corner of Central avenue. The 



BURYING GROUNDS. 121 

father of the writer used to say that, when a boy, he was often 
sent down for Uncle Hick when there was a grave to dig. He 
told the nature of his errand to " Aunt Polly," and she shoutod 
up the scuttle-hole — " Uncle Hick ! Uncle Hick ! Mr. Good- 
Avin wants ye." " Aye, aye !" he would respond, and slowly 
clamber down on the slats nailed to the studding. Uncle 
Hick dug graves until he was no longer able to get out of 
them when finished, without a ladder, which he always had 
at hand. It is a little curious that, while he was literally so 
near the grave for a long time, death should have exempted 
him so long ; as if there had been a compact between the grim 
tyrant and the old fellow , which spared him in his feebleness, 
because of his faithfulness in serving. 

After him " Old Gauzy " (Lewis Guernsey) dug graves. 
He was an interesting character who lived hereabout; and 
he was over ninety when he died. He had been a sea-faring 
man wlien young. Later he took care of the desperate or 
pestilential sick, and seemed to have an immunity from con- 
tagion and decay for many years. His knowledge of old fash- 
ioned weeds and herbs and their properties was something 
wonderful. The writer has come upon him in " the swamp," 
gathering his simples, with as much mystery as Roger Chil- 
lingworth in Hawthorne's Scarlet Letter. The old man lived 
to be almost a hundred years old. 

Mr. Henry Phelps, who came here in 1821 to carry on the 
tavern which stood on the corner of Mill and Main streets, 
was chosen sexton of the Center yard in 1824. He was suc- 
ceeded by his sons, Edward Phelps and George S. Phelps. 
The former held the oifice for a year or two only ; the latter 
is the present incumbent. During the time this family has 
held the office there have been buried about 2,000 persoiis, — 
a number equal to two-thirds of the present population of our 
town, — and this in the Center Burying Ground alone. They 
have had several assistants in their work. 

The present sexton of the Center Ground has had a varied 

experience. He began to drive to funerals when a boy, and 

when the wheeled-bier described above was in vogue. His 

first charge was of the body of Mr. Thomas Case, who had 

16 



122 HISTORY OP EAST HARTFORD. 

owned the " Calvin Hale place," on what is now Orchard 
street. The snow was deeply drifted, and the bearers who 
went beside the bier had great difficulty in keeping it from 
over-setting. Two of the bearers were Capt. John Pitkin, and 
Mr. George Reynolds, — the first a very short man, the latter 
tall. 

Mr. Phelps once rode on this odd vehicle over the Hock- 
anum Causeway when the water had already overflowed the 
road, and was beginning to touch the flooring of the bridge. 
While waiting at the house of mourning he noticed a large 
white flag thrust out of the chamber-window of the neighbor- 
ing house ; and when the procession began to move, a gun was 
fired from the nearest cellar-window in that house, with a i)ro- 
digious bang ! This gratuitous celebration of the departure 
of the dead had been got'en up by the dead man's nephew, 
whom he had contemned in his will. Meantime the water 
had risen on the causeway, and the planks were nearly afloat 
in the bridge. The water was so deep that Mr. Phelps had to 
lift his feet from the whiffletree, and finally to climl) u})on the 
coffin to avoid a wetting. 



ECCLESIAST1CA.L HISTORY. 



CHAPTER XII. 



Our fathers came to this couiitiy in order to secure freedom 
to themselves in their religious beliefs and manner of worship. 
With them their religion was first and most important ; based 
upon and secondary to it was the polity of the State. Much 
unjust contumely has been uttered against them, because 
when they sadly chose to isolate themselves from all their for- 
mer comforts and life-long associations, simply that they might 
worshi]) God in their own way, they also chose to purge out from 
among them many unruly spirits, vague and fanatical of be- 
lief and crazed with a sense of newly found freedom, whose 
practices were alien to the Puritan's notions of decency and 
order. At great cost they had left bitter intolerance and per- 
secution behind them ; their purpose was a single one, — above 
all essentially and rigidly exclusive in its nature, as is that of 
many church organizations in our land to-day, so far as every 
other church organization is concerned. When the good cit- 
izen began to prove himself more useful than the sound church- 
man, then the exclusiveness withdrew within the church 
doors, and there was freedom outside. 

In the early confederation of the three towns of Hartford, 
Wethersfield, and Windsor, in 1638, the religious idea of gov- 
ernment predominated. It was a "■ confederation .... to 
mayntayne and pi'searue the liberty and purity of the gospell 
of our Lord Jesus, w<='i we now pt'feese, as also the disciplyne 
of the churches w^ according to the truth of the said gospell 
is now practised amongst vs ; as also in our Ciuell Affaires to 
be guided " — by such laws as shall be made. 

To some, of course, this exclusiveness was a genuine denial ; 
but the colony was not inexorable. When, in 1664, William 



124 HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 

Pitkin, cue of our first settlers, joined with others in a prayer 
for some relief from tlie denial of their accustomed church 
[of England] privileges to themselves and their families, the 
General Assembly did " commend it to the ministers and 
churches in this Colony to consider wiicther it be not their 
duty to enterteine all such persons who are of an honest and 
godly conversation," and baptise tlieir children, etc., and 
recommending their admission to half-covenant privileges, as 
they were called, by which they were allowed to participate in 
all the ordinances excepting that of the Lord's supper. 

THE THIRD ECCLESIASTICAL SOCIETY OF HART- 
FORD. 

To the history of the first ecclesiastical society formed on 
this side the Great River in Hartford much space belongs, 
because in its dual care of the spiritual and temporal well- 
being of its people it covers a wide period in our annals. 
Much of the material that has been found in its records has 
been used in other chapters of this volume, — in that on 
Schools, on Burying Grounds, on Roads and Bridges, etc. 
Its functions so nearly covered many of the details of the 
town's affairs, that for a time it seems to have been recog- 
nized in some matters as an equal power. Some of the 
business voted on at its meetings was also voted on in town 
meeting, and in 1798, after East Hartford became a town, 
the same vote is entered in the records of both the society 
and the town. 

The inhabitants here first petitioned to have the " liberty 
of a minister " among them in May, 1694. In deference to 
this petition the General Assembly recommended that the 
two societies in Hartford (now the Center Church Society 
and the South Congregational Society), where our people 
attended, get together and consider the proposal. This was 
done, and in October of that year the societies again acted on 
the matter, as follows : 

" Whereas sundry of both Societies being met 

together and the rest warned to meet, we have considered 
the motion of o"" neighbors on the east side, and that in 



ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 125 

reffereiicc to their desire of setliiig; a, minister on the east 
side of the river, we doe declare we prize their good Company 
and cannot without their help well and comfortably carry on 
or mayntaine the ministry in two societies here, yet upon the 
earnestness of o"" neighbors to be distinct because of the 
trouble and danger they complayne they are exposed to by 
coming over to the pub: worship here, which difficulty they 
could not but foresee before they setled where they are and 
therefore is of less wayte to us, and upon these considerations 
we cannot be free to parte with our good neighbours"; — still, 
if the Court saw cause they would submit ; yet they wished 
that those good people of the east side who desired might 
continue with them; and that all land owned by west side 
people might pay its rate still to their ministry ; and that all 
should continue to pay toward the support of the west side 
ministry until a minister was settled upon the east side. 

The General Assembly accepted these conditions and 
granted liberty to procure and settle an orthodox minister 
on the east side of the Great River in Hartford. 

In 1702, for the encouragement of the young society, all 
who lived on this side were ordered to pay rates toward the 
maintenance of the ministry here. Rate-makers were ap- 
pointed, and the bounds of the society declared to include all 
of the town of Hartft)rd upon this side of the Great River. 
Only the common lands were not to be taxed here, nor the 
lands belonging to residents of the west side. 

This order found some reluctant to leave their old societies. 
Solomon Andrews, William and Thomas Warren, and Mat- 
thias Treat, of Hockanum, prayed the Court to be allowed to 
pay to the west side ministry, but their petition was not 
granted. The first two afterwards refused to pay their 
church rate, and the collectors levied on a brass kettle which 
belonged to the first, and on a horse which belonged to 
Warren. These the court (an "Inferior Court") ordered 
the collectors to return to their owners. The case, however, 
was appealed, with what result does not appear. 

The first preserved record of a meeting of the society is of 
one held Dec. 29, 1699, when William Pitkin, Dea. Joseph 



126 HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 

Olmsted, and Lieutenant Hills were aj)pointed a committee 
"to see about the meeting house, and to do what they think 
needful in ordering the same, as they think best." 

To meet the expenses which would arise, a rate of three 
pence in the pound was laid on the pro{)crty list of the 
society, one penny of it payable in corn, the rest in work, if 
any chose. A i-ate of three half-])ennies in the jtound was 
also voted, " to satisfy the Rev. John Rood for his pains in 
the ministry among us, and to defray charges about provid- 
ing for him." 

The next year sixty pounds were voted Mr. Rood for his 
salary ; and a call was given him to settle here " in the work 
of the ministry." Meantime a house had been begun for 
him, and a rate of i!200 laid to complete it. But he did not 
accept the call, and Mr. Samuel Woodl)ridge came here to 
preach. His first year's salary was X65, payable in wheat at 
5s. a bushel, and in rye at 3s. a bushel, — all good and mer- 
chantable ; afterward beef and pork were made acceptable as 
a part of the rate, money being scarce in those days. 

REV, SAMUEL WOODBRlDCxE. 

Mr. Woodbridge was called in 1704, and ordained March 30, 
1705, the society giving him £60 a year for his salary, and 
also promising him the minister's house, with two acres of 
land, and at least thirty or forty acres besides. The minis- 
ter's house was still unfinished, and the next year X25 were 
voted to Mr. Woodbridge if he would complete it after the 
walls were filled up. Afterwards a deed of it was given him 
upon condition that he would stay here in the ministry during 
his life, or that it be not his fault if he removed sooner from 
the place. Its exact site we do not know. It stood on the 
west side of Main street, somewhere between Benjamin's 
Lane (Orchard street), and the old meeting-house. The deed 
was given Ijy Daniel Bidwell, who OAvned the land, to Samuel 
Woodbridge, clerk ; and was bounded south and west by Bid- 
well's land, north by John Case, and east by the highway. 
Much was done for Mr. Woodbridge, who had a strong hold 
on the regard of the people. In 1707, <£4 were granted to 



ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 127 

such as had waited upon him, and Dea. Joseph Ohusted was 
given 50s. for the use of his son and horse to go to New York 
with him. In 1713, £9 in addition to liis salary were voted 
him to procure firewood. Any i)erson who cliose could pay 
his proportion in wood delivered at the minister's door, at 3s. 
a load, eacli load to contain at least two-thirds of a cord. 
He was also given liberty to huikl a pew between the women's 
(widows') pew and the pulpit. In 1734 he preached the 
election sermon before the assembled ministers, legislators, 
and officers of the State, at the opening of the General 
Assembly at Hartford. In 1730 he visited Newport, and 
X2, 3s. were voted for a man to attend him on his way. 

Mr. Woodbridge continued faithfully in service for many 
years, when he became sick and unable to work or to "• supply 
the pulpit." The society obtained preachers, — Mr. Nathaniel 
Collins for the summer of 1736, and Rev. Mr. Samuel Newell 
afterwards. Mr. Newell's board was paid at Jose|)h Pitkin's 
until December, 1741.* 

It was then pro})Oscd to jirocure a colleague for Mr. Wood- 
bridge, lie being still unable to })reach, and declining to sup- 
})ly the pulpit. Calls were extended to several persons to 
"• preach on probation," but without success, jirobably owing 
to the reluctance of all to come between Mr. Woodbridge and 
his peoijle. There was occasional preaching only, — Mr. 
Newell being here a part of the time. 

Finally the society declined to pay Mr. Woodbridge his 
salary, — he doing nothing about supplying the pulpit or pro- 
viding that the ordinances l)e administered. Mr. Woodbridge 
carried the matter to the General Assembly, and that body 
ordered the society to pay him £150, old tenor, for his salary 
in 1743. This the society paid, crisply instructing Mr. John 
Pitkin to take his receipt therefor. After this his salary was 
paid him regularly, and he served the society as much as he 
was able. Probably no one regretted more than he that his 
necessities outlived his usefulness. 

In 1745 Mr. Stephen Williams was called to preach on pro- 

*Mr. Newell was afterwards settled as the first pastor of Bristol. He 
died there in 1789, aged 75, iu the 42d year of his ministry. — Barber, 
Hisi. Coll. 



128 HTRTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 

bation, and the following year he accepted, and steps were 
taken to settle hiiu, — he being nrged to take charge with all 
convenient speed, — when he drops from the record without a 
further word of mention. Probably he was the same Stephen 
Williams (son of Rev. Dr. Stephen Williams of Long Meadow) 
who was ordained at Woodstock, (Second Society,) Ct., in 
November, 1747. 

Mr. Woodbridgc "fell asleep" June 9, 1716, having, as his 
elal)orately carved grave-stone says, been for forty years a 
minister of the Third Church of Christ in Hartford. His 
heirs were paid his salary for the last quarter year — £50 in 
old tenor bills. Little else than what these dry records show 
is now known concerning Mr. Woodbridge. He was a grad- 
uate of Harvard College, and without doubt fully qualified 
both by nature and education for his work here. And we 
have evidence that he was loved and respected by his people.* 

*Mr. Woodbridge came of a long line of ministers. The following 
facts have been kindly furnished by Miss Mary K. Talcott, of Hartford. 

Rev. Samuel Woodbridge was youngest son of Rev. Benjamin Wood- 
bridge, and Mary, daughter of Rev. John Ward of Haverhill. His father 
probably received his educaliou in England; he preached at Windsor, Ct., 
at Bristol, R. I., and at IMedford, jMass. Rev. Benj. Woodbridge was 
second son of Rev. .John Woodbridge, who was born at Stanton, Eng., 
in l(>1o, and came to New England with his uncle Rev. Thomas Parker, 
in 1G;j4; married Mercy, daughter of Gov. Thos. Dudley, in 1G39; was 
ordained minister at Andover, Mass., in 1645; and afterwards returned to 
England, where he was chaplain of the Parliamentary commissioners 
treating with King Charles at the Isle of Wight. Returning to New Eng- 
land in 1063, he became minister at Newburg, Mass., and died there in 
1695. Rev. John Woodbridge was eldest son of Rev. John Woodbridge, 
Rector of Stanton, Wiltshire, Eng., who died in 1637, and whose wife was 
Sarah, daughter of Rev. Robert Parker, of Exeter, an eminent non-con- 
formist author and divine. 

Rev. Samuel Woodbridge was graduated at Harvard in 1701, and 
ordained in East Hartford, March 30, 1705. His first wife was Mabel, 
widow of Rev. John Hubbard of Jamaica, L. I., and daughter of Daniel 
Russell of Charlestown, Mass. Her mother was Mabel, (daughter of 
Samuel Wyllys, of Hartford,) who married for her third husband the 
Rev'd Timothy Woodbridge of Hartford, uncle of Rev. Samuel Wood- 
bridge. Rev. Samuel Woodbridge's first wife died in New Haven, May 
10, 1730, while on a visit to her son, Col. Jolui Hubbard. His second 
wif(! was Mrs. Content, widow of Benj. Bull, Esq., of Newport, R. I. 

Mr. Woodbridge was a Fellow of Yale College from 1733 to 1743. 



ECCLESIASTICAL HISTOEY. 129 

THE FIRST MEETING HOUSE. 

The meeting house in which Mr. Woodbridge preached 
was begun in 1699, on a small hill which once rose above the 
open ground near the junction of Main street and the South 
Meadow Road. It was not completed for several years. In 
1707 a rate of c£45 was voted for "seating and sealing the 
meeting house." Two-thirds of this rate miglit be paid in 
timber delivered at the water side of the meeting house. In 
1713, the standing committee was instructed to seat the 
meeting house from time to time. This custom of assigning 
to the people seats that would accord with their social posi- 
tion, or the amount of tax they paid, was one which prevailed 
for many years. Galleries were built this year, and four 
green casements ordered for the south gallery windows. 

This meeting house stood until 1735. We have no descrijv 
tion of it, and only know it to have been a plain, barn-like 
building, without chimney or steeple, and probably innocent 
of paint, outside oi- in. Its frame was afterwards made into 
a corn-house on the i)roniises on the corner of Main and Pros- 
pect streets, and some of its rough-hewn timbers are still 
preserved in the cellar of Mr. Arthur P. Moore. 

THE SECOND MEETING HOUSE. 

This was sixty-six by forty-six feet, and twenty-seven feet 
high "between joints;" and was built "on the same green" 
on which the first meeting house had stood. It wag at first 
voted to ])uild it of brick ; this, however, was not done. A 
deed of the land was to be got of Daniel Dickerson, this 
matter having been long neglected ; but we have been al )le to 
find no deed upon record. There were horse-sheds about the 
meeting house on the north, and on the east and southwest 
sides, and horse-blocks, upon which the ladies could alight 
from their pillions. 

A committee was appointed to seat or " dignify the new 
meeting house," in 1742. " As a rule for direction in seat- 
He died June 9, 1746 ; his widow died July 38, 1758. Their children 
were: Ward, Samuel, Elizabeth, Deodatus, Mabel, Capt. Russell, who 
was a prominent man in East Hartford, and Samuel. 

17 



130 HISTORY OP EAST HARTFORD. 

ing the meeting house, it was voted, that to and in addition 
to each man's rate there be allowed at the rate of 20s. a 
year for their ages, as ratable estate, for each year from 
twenty-one to sixty years of age, and from sixty years u])- 
ward there shall be allowed at the rate of four pounds for 
each year." Widows were to be seated at the discretion of 
the seaters. The deacons had seats directly in front of the 
pulpit. 

Joseph Spencer was allowed to pay <£12 toward the edifice 
and have equal privileges with the other inhabitants. 

The meeting house was " colored" in 1754, and small seats 
were built about the walls and along the sides of the aisles 
for the children to sit on. This year four pews were built 
over the gallery stairs, conspicuously high, — two in each of 
the east corners of the meeting house (the pulpit was at the 
west end). These seats were for the colored people, slaves 
and servants of our good ancestors. A new pew at the right 
of the "broad alley" was set apart for the minister and his 
family. The front gallery, opposite the pulpit, and the lower 
half of the seats in the side gallery were for the singers to 
sit in. 

Permission to subscribers to erect a steeple on the meeting 
house, at their own expense, was given in 1793 ; but it was 
never built. The structure did not possess even a chimney. 
A stove was not introduced until 1817; and then the pipe 
was thrust out of the window. The first Sunday after this 
stove wfls set up arose many complaints of headaches and 
warped back-combs, etc., when in truth there was no fire in it 
at all. 

The following description of the old meeting house, written 
by Mr. Edward S. Goodwin, appeared in the Elm Leaf, in 
1863: 

" The old church was an unpretending edifice, two stories 
high, without steeple, cupola, or chimney. The pulpit was in 
the center of the west side — a high, antiquated concern, — but 
the most remarkable thing about it was the sounding l)oard, 
a large sort of steeple over, and as large as the pulpit. This 
always excited the wonder of the young when they first went 



ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 131 

to church, for the good peopk^ of okl used fo take their child- 
ren to meeting very young, and they were taught to venerate 
their Maker. They used to think that God was up in the 
sounding-board, for the minister, when he prayed, looked up 
there, and stretched up his hands toward it, as if waiting for 
the Lord to answer him. 

" There were galleries on the north, east, and south sides, 
with two large pews on the southeast corner, and two on the 
northeast corner, with separate stairs leading to them. 
Those in the south corner were for males, and the others for 
females of a sable complexion. 

" Below, the floor was divided into pews, or ' sheeprpens,' as 
some called them; they were about five or six feet square, 
with very high partitions between them, and a banister around 
the top. They were capable of holding six or eight persons. 

" Directly in front, under the pulpit, was the deacons' seat. 
. . The people occupied the other pews according to 
their wealth, or rather the amount of taxes they paid to the 
society. There was annually a committee appointed to give 
the best seats to those who paid the most money." The age 
of the inhabitant was also an honorable factor in the position 
he obtained in the sanctuary, as has been shown. 

A later writer (Rev. Theodore J. Holmes) says : " The gal- 
leries [excepting the singers seats'] were occupied by adults 

who had no place below, and by children, under 

the vigilant eye of the tythingman, .... and many a boy 
.... used to keep very still from a wholesome fear of the 
scuttle overhead among the bats, and the dark opening under 
the pulpit, where there might be imprisonment for misde- 
meanor. 

" The singers, too, were, as now, in the gallery. . . . 
There was a single row of them in the front seats all around, 
— the tenor and counter or alto opposite the pulpit, the l)ass 
and treble on the north and south sides." Before the intro- 
duction of the viol and the flute and the worldly fiddle, " the 
only instrumental music," says the same writer, " came from 
the pitch-pii)e in the hands of the leader, who [first pitched 
the key and then] marshaled his choir of seventy or eighty 
through all the old fugue meanderings of ancient harmony." 



132 HISTORY OF EA^T HARTFORD. 

The early practice was for tlic leader to read a line of the 
psalm, which was taken up by the choir and sung. This lin- 
ished, he read another line, and again the sacred tunc took up 
its sonorous burden, and so on through the composition. It 
was not until the year 1772 that the society voted "that the 
singing in public on tlie 8abbath in the afternoon be without 
reading line by line." Several other votes about this time 
were for the purpose of " encouj-aging psalmody among us." 
Selah Norton, James Olmsted, and Jonathan Rol>crts, all 
stauncii and prominent citizens, were appointed to l)e choris- 
ters to assist Captain Pitkin in setting the psalms. And 
there were later grants of money to procure some person 
" skilled in harmony,'" to teach the inhabitants. In 1795 Mr. 
Jonathan Benjamin sued the society for services in this line, 
a rather unharmonious proceeding. 

The practice of '' dignifying " the meeting-house prevailed 
until the year 1824, when the society had no longer a legal 
right to tax its inhabitants. The pews were then annually 
sold to pay the current expenses. Some quaintly humorous 
lines, written about a hundred years ago by Mr. Blisha Ben- 
ton in regard to this now obsolete practice, may be fitly 
introduced here. They are from a copy found among Major 
Samuel Pitkin's papers, in the handwriting of Mr. Benton 
himself. 

"ADVICE TO THE NEXT SEATER8. 

' ' That each worthy member may rightly be placed, 
The Sealers should have a line fancy and taste. 
Your fond proposition should also be strong. 
Or else you'l be subject to act very wrong; 
You ought to be furnished with very great knowledge, 
And if you have not taken degrees at the College 
You ouglit to be all of you masters of arts. 
For you'l find work enough to employ all your parts, 
The great art of pleasing you ought well to study, 
But I don't mean by this you should please everybody ; 
If you can please yourselves and your favorite relations 
'Twill answer exactly to our expectations. 
As seaters 'tis certain you ought to be trimmers. 
Even such as have made some advance in your primers, — 
As mean folks should never be mixed with their betters, 
You ought to distinguish and know the great letters. 



ECCLESIARTrCAL HISTORY. 133 

Especially all the great capital P's, 

And all the great round O's, and all the great G's, 

The great H'.s also, and great W's, 

Are all well entitled to elegant pews; 

And the great crooked S's must be respected, 

And fhe F's will tight you it they are negle(-ted; 

And the broad K's will rave and like Bedlam will roar. 

If you leave them behind and not keep them before; 

Your full blooded Heroes with Marshal Commission 

Expect mighty reverence in every (;ouditi(m, — 

They have keen sense of Honor, extremely high mettled, 

If they think they are slighted you'l see how they're nettled. 

They must be promoted at every new Seating 

Though seldom you see them on Sunday at Meeting. 

A person well dressed m\ist attract your regard. 

For them you may study no matter how hard, 

However immoral, profane, or ill maner'd 

There can be no doubt but they ought to be honor'd, — 

Fine dress and rich Cloathing and fine handsome faces 

Should always be sett in conspicuous places. 

And men of fine learning whose Wives wear Silk Gowns 

Should never be placed with Blockheads and Clowns. 

What a tine show they make when these troops all appear 

In the house when they're placed in the front of the rear. 

While some in the center are ordered to rally 

And form two Grand Colun)s to line the broad ally; 

Those woi'thies tirst in such eminent station 

Would beautify greatly our great C'ongregation, 

But as for the rest, all the Vulgar, Oh, fy! 

To please 't will never be worth while to try. 

There's no place of honor to which you can fetch them 

You may thrust them in any where just where you catch 'em. 

But if you arc bewildered in all your endeavors. 

Dissolve and go ln)me and plow with your heifers. 

Those heifers which carry one end of the yoke 

Will soon help get the pig out of the poke ; 

And as they're willing and apt to tissist, 

They'l scatter the fog and dispell all the mist; 

By hearing their counsel no doubt they'l work wonders, 

They'l rectify all your mistakes and your blunders, 

For be your embarrassments ever so great, 

They make all light, and crooked things straight ; 

They'l introduce order where you make confusion. 

And bring things to a speedy and happy conclusion; — 

Consult all the ladies you wish for to please 

And the business may then be accomplished with ease." 



134 HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 

Ik 

" The author of the above annexed the following to his list 
on seating : 

"Five pounds and ten shillings my list is increased 
To what it was the last year, 

And wealth brings us credit, and credit preferment, 
So is a truth, evidently clear ; 
Should my riches augment to sufficient extent 
To answer my craving desire. 

Then how noble they'l treat me, and next time they seat me 
They'l put me full half a peg higher : 
Then I'll be so grand a pew I'll demand. 
And then I'll be known in my place, — 
One more precious tack — haw, gee, forth and back — 
Will fetch me up snug to Tom Case." 

To any one familiar with the names of our older families 
the initials in the foregoing will need no explanation. Others 
may refer to the list of names already given in the chapter on 
Settlers and Inhabitants. 

REV. DR. ELIPHALET WILLIAMS. 

After tlie death of Mr. Woodbridge, the question came up in 
a meeting of the society whether Mr. Sanniel Newell, who had 
for several years preached here, should be called to settle per- 
manently. But the result proved that it was not the unan- 
imous wish of the people that he should become their pastor. 
The next year (1748) Mr. Eliphalet Williams accepted a call 
to settle here. His salary Avas to be .£65 a year and four con- 
tributions which were to be taken. Six years later the cur- 
rency had reached so low a state of depreciation that the 
committee decided that it would require £861 in bills of the 
old tenor to pay his salary of £80. In 1755 a price for grain 
was agreed upon with him, that he might be paid in that com- 
modity. His wood was at all times a part of his salary, and 
various persons were paid for cording it for him, that he might 
get good measure. At one time Mr. Benoni Hale and at an- 
other Mr. Jonathan Stanley performed this service for him, 
receiving 6d. per cord from the society. 

In 1778 Mr. Williams was voted X90 salary, and £450 (old 
tenor) in consideration of the extraordinary price of provisions 
and the necessaries of life. 



ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. lo.) 

About the year 1799 Mr. Williams, having served his peo- 
ple long beyond the time usually allotted to such constant ser- 
vice as his, began to feel the weaknesses of old age. It became 
necessary to support another minister, and the society asked 
him to relinquish his claims upon them. He replied that this 
he could not do. He finally consented to retire on an annual 
salary of £110. This was in 1801. He died June 29, 1803, 
aged 77 years, and in the 56th year of his ministry. He was 
settled here al)uut fifty-three years. 

Many stories remain of Dr. Williams, — Parson Williams, or 
Priest Williams, as he was often called, — and there are still a 
few who rememljer him. He wore the old-time minister's 
dress, with black stockings and knee-breeches, a straight-but- 
toned waist coat, with the ends of his broad white band show- 
ing on his chest. A big white wig, so large that a child once 
called it a lamb, covered his head ; on to]) of this he wore a 
large, stiff, broad-brimmed hat. He had a high sense of the 
dignity and sanctity of his office. Some thought him dom- 
ineering, and David Crosby, in 1766, wrote him a long letter 
in which he stoutly arraigns the clergy in general, and Mr. 
Williams in })articular, for trying to make themselves " lords 
ovei' the heritage of God, and to make merchandize of the 
souls of men." Mr. Williams was certainly a sturdy theolo- 
gian of the old school, who would not be likely to make con- 
cessions to any one. His was not a nature to be tolerant, and 
one of the })hrases which he put into Governor Pitkin's epitaph 
pictures him must palpably to our conceptions as " Scattering 
away evil with his eye " — especially since we have been told 
that the children would crawl under the fences and hide when 
they saw him coming along the street. A man of that sort is 
never cordially loved, and no doubt he did call some of the 
wood which his parishioners were obliged to bring him, 
" crooked stuff," and, perhaps, with cause. It is said he told 
Benjamin Roberts that his load had in it the making of all 
the letters in the alphabet. Roberts promptly drove home 
and left none of his wood. A Mr. Warren came and began 
to unload. " I cannot have it put down there," said Dr. Wil- 
liams. " I am going to leave some of it there," said Warren, 



136 HISTORY OP EAST HARTFORD. 

and hurled it about so promiscuously that the good Doctor 
was fain to retreat into the house. 

A man once mowing* for Dr. Williams did not bend very 
low to his work. " My cow," said the Doctor, mildly, " loves 
the roots of the grass." " Just so," said the man, keeping- 
right on with his mowing ; " you see I am leaving them for 
her." 

These trivial anecdotes, however, show only the surface 
humor of the man. His work here, the many honorable titles 
he bore, and his literary remains, show him to have been a 
man of large attainments for his day, and one of profound 
convictions, and a champion of them who hesitated at no in- 
convenience to himself to assert and maintain them. He 
clung to his dark views of what in the unlovely phraseology 
of that day was known as " infant damnation," until many of 
the mothers in Israel withdrew from his preaching and went 
to the Baptist meetings, which were then first held, and drew 
their husbands with them. Then he launched a dialogue 
pamphlet after them, entitled " Sophronistes : Persuading peo- 
ple to reverence the ordinances of God in the teachings of 
their own Pastors. Hartford : 1795." He did not remit his 
labors against the new sects even when his own son joined 
them, although he is said to have been less bitter against them 
from that time. 

Of his home life we also know something. He had his 
favorite arm-chair l)y the fire-side, and after supper he would 
sit, while his daughter dutifully filled his long pipe for him 
from his smoking-box, which hung hard by the fire-place, and 
brought it to him with a coal in tlie little tongs. In his last 
days he smoked a good deal ; but one day he put his pipe 
away, saying, " What right has a dying man to smoke?" and 
never took it again. His smoking kit, and pipes, and tongs 
are still preserved ly the writer, who has many curious things 
from his household. Rev. Dr. E. P. Parker, of Hartford, has 
his old arm chair. 

Like most ministers of his time, Dr. Williams thought he 
needed something warm to drink after his Sunday sermons, 
and one of his black women used to remain at home to have 



ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 137 

his flip iron hot when he arrived. Among his papers was 
fonnd a recipe for making " shrub," a liquor composed of three 
quarts of grape juice and two-thirds as much " rumm," kindly 
copied for him by some friend, who pronounced it, when sweet- 
ened and diluted with about twelve quarts of water, an " agree- 
able liquor." Such were the customs and courtesies of this 
time. 

Dr. Williams' study was a mere closet, not over five feet 
square, with a north window. It contained his chair and a 
small table, over which were shelves with his few books, all 
within reach. This was his sanctum, and his children, want- 
ing him, came and rapped — once. If he did not answer, they 
went softly away. Sometimes he would open the door, with- 
out getting up, and pass out to them an apple, or a pear, or a 
piece of melon, and they would thank him reverently and go 
away. 

His house, on the east side of Main street, near the site of 
the old meeting-house, and late the home of Mr. Edward W. 
Hay den, is a study in old-time architecture. It was built for 
him by Benjamin Roberts, and has a spacious hall, and 
low, easy stairway, with unpainted, hand-wrought banisters. 
There is much wainscoting and elaborate molding, even the 
" escallop shell " closets in the parlor being minutely molded 
and trimmed. The ceilings are low, and traversed by large 
beams ; and there are endless cupboards and closets. The 
back rooms are finished in yellow pine and are unpainted. 
The house is gaml)rel-roofed, and over the chambers is an 
immense attic, until within a short time a perfect curiosity 
shop in old-time trumpery. A low, unceiled chamber, under 
the rafters, called the meal room, is the " black hole " where 
the negresses used to sleep, — a complete sweat-box in sum- 
mer. The first paper hangings that were used in this town 
were really hung in the parlors of this house, having been 
tacked loosely to the walls. They are of a large brown 
velvet figure upon a green ground. This paper was sent from 
England expressly for Dr. Williams. Afterwards paper was 
pasted on the walls here, and the border, uncut, was put 
18 



138 HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 

around under the windows in a broad strip, the use of it not 
being understood. 

Dr. Williams' sermons cover a richly interesting period of 
our history, from 1748 to 1801. But they are so finely 
written, on such scanty sheets of paper, that most, beyond 
the scrijrture text, are utterly undecipherable, showing mere 
crooked pen-strokes across the page. He wrote in a time 
when paper was scarce and high in price. 

Some of his printed sermons remain. One delivered on 
the Sabbath after "the late terrible earthquake," Nov. 23, 
1755, by Eliphalet Williams, A.M., shows "The Duty of 
People under dark Providences or symptoms of approaching 
evils to prepare to meet their God." To which is appended 
an account of previous earthquakes in New England, — eleven 
in all, — of which this was the "fifth that has been general 
and very awakening," — to wit : one in 1638, one in 1658, 
one January 26th and 28th, 1662-63, and one in 1727, and 
one in 1755. This sermon was printed by Timothy Green, 
New London, 1756. We have also a sermon (unprinted) of 
August, 1757, on the occasion of a public fast on the taking 
of Fort Henry. This was used again on some similar occa- 
sion in 1776. The text is, " Humble yourselves therefore," 
etc. 

A thanksgiving sermon of March 6, 1760, on the taking of 
Quebec, was printed by Green of New London. Its theme is, 
" God's wonderful goodness in succeeding the arms of his 
people to be acknowledged and celebrated with rejoicing and 
praise." 

Dr. Williams preached the election sermon before the 
General Assembly in May, 1769. His sermon on the death 
of Gov. William Pitkin, in October, 1769, delivered in our 
old meeting-house at the funeral, before many of the digni- 
taries of the State, was prepared in a marvelously short timr? 
and indicates a ca])acity for work which few men have. It 
was on " I'lic Ivuler's duty and honor in serving his gener;^- 
tion, and his dismission l)}^ death, and entering into peace. 
.... Acts, xiii, 36, .... ])y Eli])halet Williams, V. D. M. 
Hartford, Green & Watson, 1770." Dr. Williams also wrote 



ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 139 

(rovernor Pitkin's epitaph, as he did many another notable 
one in our l)urying grounds. At the induction of Dr, Stiles 
to the presidency of Yale College, July 15, 1778, Dr. Wil- 
liams, Senior and Presiding Fellow, made the opening prayer 
and delivered an oration in Latin. His Sophronistes pam- 
phlet was published in 1795. Rev. David McOlure of East 
(now South) Windsor, said of him in liis funeral sermon: 
'' Pie })ossess('d quickness of a[)]>reliension, iuiagination, great 
sensibility, and zeal. He imbibed the principles of the Puri- 
tan fathers, and his diction Avas flowing, pathetic, impressive. 
He su]iportcd an unblemishetl rei)utation, and magnilied his 
office." Niles & Pease's Gazetteer says of him that ''he was 
distinguished as a man of science, a preacher, and divine." 

Dr. Williams was a man of almost tireless industry, who 
let go no opportunity to impress the great concerns of life 
and of death upon his people. His talents, which belonged 
to another age than ours, we cannot rightly estimate. To his 
own generation " he was an able, orthodox, faithful, laborious, 
exemplary, and successful minister of Jesus Christ, patient 
under sharp bodily distress, resigned to the will of his Master, 
he committed himself to Him who judgeth righteously." (His 
tombstone.) 

Dr. Williams came of a fainily famous for its ministers. 
He was born at Lebanon Feb. 21, 1727 ; graduated at Yale, 
1743, and ordained, 1748. He was son of Rev. Solomon 
Williams, D.D., of Lebanon, and grandson of Rev, William 
Williams of Hatfield, whose ancestors came from England to 
Roxbury, Mass. He was a brother of William Williams, who 
signed the Declaration of Independence. 

REV. ANDREW YATES. 

Dr. Yates was a professor of Union College, Schenectady, 
and was ordained as colleague of the Rev. Dr. Williams in the 
ministry to the First Society in 1801, eighteen months before 
the death of Dr. Williams. A writer has said of him : " He 
was a man of wide learning, of strong sense, of simple, loving 
heart." He felt greatly interested in the children. In his 
day the catechism was taught in the common schools as well as 



140 HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 

aritlimetic and geogra[)hy ; " and every year, in May, be gath- 
ered all tlie children of the different districts in the church, 
where, after hearing a review of the lessons for the year, he 
gave them each little tracts or books, sonic of which are 
preserved to this day." He was a friend and advocate of 
total abstinence in a time when it was the fashion among 
ministers to have liquors set out at their conferences. When 
the council met which was to dismiss him from his charge 
here that he might accept a })rofessorship in Union College, 
he complied with this custom, and set out four bottles, saying, 
"• Brethren, here is rum, gin, brandy, laudanum, — all poison, 
— help yourselves!" One veteran doctor, it is said, at once 
complied, saying, " Yes, yes. But I believe I will risk a little 
brandy." 

Mr. Yates' wife died in 1806, and is Iniried here. He was 
dismissed from his charge in 1S14, and went back to his post 
in Union College, followed by the affectionate regard of all 
his former people. 

REV. .JOY H. FAIRCHILD. 

The pulpit was supplied by various persons until 1S16, 
when Mr. Joy H. Fairchild was settled. His wife died in 
1824, and is buried here. Mr. Fairchild was dismissed in 

1827. 

REV. ASA MEAD. 

Mr. Mead was settled here in August, 1830. He died in 
October, 1831, while a memoir he had written on his little 
son was in press. Prom this we learn that "■ Mr. Mead was a 
nervous writer, an animating preacher, an active friend of 
every benevolent enterprise." He was graduated at Dart- 
mouth College, and was also a student at Andover. Before 
settling in the ministry he was active in the temperance 
cause. 

REV. DR. SAMUEL SPRING. 

Dr. Si)ring was settled here in January, 1833, and was 
pastor of the First Society until December, 1860, when he 
resigned his charge on account of ill-health. His was a 
pleasant and faithful service of twenty-nine years. The sum 



ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. , 141 

of $400 was voted to him annually, in spite of liis many 
protests, for many years after the close of his pastorate, and 
he remained among his peoi)le to the end of liis days, honored 
and useful in spite of bodily infirmities. 

Dr. Spring" was sixth child of Rev. Samuel Si)ring, D.D., 
and Hannah Hopkins, daughter of Rev. Sanmel Hopkins, 1>.J>., 
of South Hadley. He was brother of Gardiner Spring, D.D., 
of New York. He was born at Newburyport, Mass., March 9, 
1792. At seven he began the study of Latin ; entered Exeter 
Academy at twelve, where he remained two years ; then he 
went to Atkinson Academy, where for a year he had charge 
of the Academy in tlie al)sence of the principal. He was grad- 
uated from Yale in 1811. 'For a short time he took up the 
study of law, but soon went into mercantile life as clerk for a 
Mr. Tappan in his native place. In 1811 Mr. Tappan was 
burned out, and Mr. Spring assisted in saving many of his 
goods by plunging into the river and guiding them to a {»lace 
of safety. In 1812 he ventured into the coasting trade with 
his brother Lewis, and became part owner of several vessels. 
Of one of these he was himself master, and was captured with 
his crew off Chesapeake Bay by Admiral Cockburn's squad- 
ron. After the war lie went into trade in Boston in partner- 
ship with David Hale, who afterwards was editor of the Jour- 
nal of Oommerce. 

Mr. Spring in 1816 married Lydia Maria Norton of Berwick, 
Maine. He entered the theological seminary at Andover to 
study for the ministry in 1819 ; and was graduated in 1821. 
He was settled in AV)ington, Mass., January 2, 1822, and con- 
tinued there five years, greatly loved by his people. After- 
wards he was pastor of the North Church in Hartford for six 
years, until 1833, when he came to East Hartford. After giv- 
ing up his charge here he acted as chaplain of the Asylum for 
the Insane, in Hartford, six years. He had nine children, 
and died December 13, 1877, aged 85 years and 9 months. 
His funeral services were held in the meeting-house. Rev. Dr. 
Burton of Hartford delivering the principal address. 

Dr. Spring was a person of high culture, and of fine tender- 
ness of feeling; he had a literary as well as a moral conscience. 



142 HFSTORY OP EAST HARTPORI). 

and his serriK^iis arc niodols of perspicuity and orderly ari-ange- 
nienl", and of faultless [)hraseoloiiy. He was universally loved 
and respected, not only at home, but among his brother cler- 
gymen, in all the wide circle in which he was known. Dr. 
Burton said of him : " In all matters of doctrine he was con- 
servative and quiet^ — a gentleman of the old school in two 
senses of that expression ; for while he held on by the old and 
safe ways, he did it with a geniality and suavity reminding 

one of the careful and gracious manners of long ago 

As a preacher [he] was calm-minded, instructive, Scriptural, 
putting his thoughts forth in the clearness of Addisonian dic- 
tion, never rising to thunders of elotpience, and never sinking 
to thinness, .... a model preacher whom to have heard is 
a i)leasant and abiding remembrance If all clergy- 
men could lead the worshi]) of a congi-egation like him, some 
of the strong arguments for the use of a liturgy in the com- 
mon worship of God would be l)rought to naught." .... 
" Around such a man all sorts of confidence slowly gathers. 

On his true and tried character all men gradually rest 

The lines of his influence stretch off into the unfathomable 
dimness of the everlasting." 

Dr. Spring preached for three years in the old meeting- 
house, and during the rest of his pastorate in the one at pres- 
ent occupied by the society. 

Rev. Theodore J. Holmes was settled here in 1861. In 
1863 he received leave of absence, and enlisted in the army 
as chaplain of the First Regiment Connecticut Cavalry. Dur- 
ing his absence Rev. Mr. Walker preached. Mr. Holmes re- 
turned from his regiment in 1865. He resigned his charge 
in 1872, and accepted a call from a society in Brooklyn, N. Y. 
Mr. Holmes was very much liked by his people, and the re- 
sults of his labors in Sunday-school matters and among the 
young people were marked and abiding. 

Mr. Frank H. Buffum was settled in 1873. He was dis- 
missed in 1876. 

Rev. Richard Meredith, the present pastor, was installed 



ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 143 

in April, 1878. Prior to his installation the pulpit was mainly 
occupied by Rev. T. T. Munger. 

Tlie salaries paid by this society to its ministers have grad- 
ually risen from the £60 paid to the Rev. John Rood in 1700, 
to 12,000 paid to Rev. Mr. Holmes in 1871, in addition to the 
<f400 voted to Rev. Dr. Sjiring the same year. 

To several matters relating to this society which have been 
passed by in our sketch of its ministers, we will now recur. 

As has been said, the society included in its limits all the 
jiresent towns of East Hartford and Manchester until Novem- 
ber, 1748. Tlien the society voted to release the inhabitants 
of the Five Miles (now Manchester) from such proportion of 
their minister's rate as would procure preaching for them three 
months in the year. This probably referred to the winter 
season. The people there were set off as the Parish of Orford 
in 1773. 

The name of the old society was changed to the First Society 
after 1784, when East Hartford was made a town. 

An institution of the by-gone times was a Sunday ferry over 
the Hockanum River and swamj), near the meeting-house. 
Boats were run on lecture days and on Sundays, when needed. 
The first appro})riati()n for it was made in 1731, when £o a 
year was voted for live years, and Jose})h Dickerson, Joseph 
Pitkin, and Jouathan Hills were ap})ointed to manage the 
affair. This ferry was kept up many years, and the up-town 
people were wont to say, when the water was high, " Well, 
Hockanum will turn out to-day so as to get a sail." 

The old society has occupied three meeting-houses since its 
formation. The first and second stood near the junction of 
Main street and the South Meadow Road, and have been 
descrilied. The tliiixl (dedicated in l8;;6) is still standing, 
although it barely escaped destruction by lire in 1876. Since 
then its interioi- has been altered, repainted, and re-seated. 
Its conference room was built and its organ purchased (partly 
by contributions) in i860. The tower-clock and a new bell 
costing !i!l,200 were given to the Society by Mr. Al})ert C. Ray- 
mond, in lS7S. Suitable dedicatory services were held in the 



144 HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 

cluircli November 8, and the poem and addresses published in 
jiamphlet form. 

When the second meeting-house, which so long stood con- 
spicuously on its hill near the river swamp, was liroken uj), its 
material was scattered about town, and still exists in various 
shapes. The house owned and occupied by Mr. George S. 
Phelps is made almost wholly from it ; and has one of the 
large semi-circular door stones at its side door. The little 
balusters from the pew doors made convenient toddy-sticks, 
and have been kept as relics by some of our people. 

About the old meeting-house was formerly a sort of town 
center. In it w^ere held the meetings of the town, and of the 
society, — the latter sometimes obliged to adjourn, on account 
of the cold, to the house of Mr. Jonathan Pratt, who lived on 
the west side of Main street, just north of the little brook or 
hollow. Near here was the minister's house, — the General 
Pitkin house, across the street from Mr. E. W. Hayden's late 
residence, being used for that purpose after Dr. Williams died. 
A school-house stood near the meeting-house in 1748. Elisha 
Pitkin, a great trader, had a store (still standing) near his 
house, supplying a good part of the town with stores and no- 
tions, about the time of the Revolution. A mill was in oper- 
ation under the hill upon which the hatters' shop lately stood, 
in which grain and plaster were ground, and carding was 
done. Besides all this the locality was very nearly the geo- 
graphical center of the society, and people naturally resorted 
hither upon their many occasions. 

The first attempt to warm the meeting-house was made 
in 1817 or 1818, when a single box stove was put in on the 
nortli side of the meeting-house. The pipe was run out of 
the window. Prior to this time the ladies used to carry little 
square foot.-stoves to meeting with them, in which a pan of 
coals fm-nished the heating poAver. The effect of a hundred 
or more of these contrivances in one room was to make the 
air smoky and blue to a choking degree. After the morning 
sermon, the i)eople flocked to 'Squire Pitkin's kitchen, with 
its huge fire-place, and to Mr. George Roberts' house (late 
Ozias Roberts' liouse ), and elsewhere in the neighborhood, to 



KCCLESTASTTCAL HISTORY. 145 

thaw out and ji'ossip until time lor the afternoon service. 
Then they filled their little stoves from the hearth, and went 
l»ack to the meeting' house, to shiver anotlier hour. The hoys 
sometimes (hu-ini;- tlie noon hour stole away from the presence 
of their parents and from the surveillance of the ty thing man, 
and went under the hill and vyrestled and jumped and got 
entangled in ch'.nnish fights — Podunk against Ilockanum, or 
Pirate Hill against Bear Swamp. One of our staidest citizens 
still tells of vanquishing the bully of an alien neighborhood 
there on a Sunday in iiis youth. Indeed, we find that the 
good boy of the past is as occasional a phenomenon as the 
good boy of to-day. 

In the days when tliere were no wheeled \ chicles, sa\e the 
stoutest carts, the men came to meeting on horsel)ack, bring- 
ing their wives, and ])erhaps their youngest child, l)ehind 
them on a pilliijn. The rest of the family followed afoot, 
coming across lots, the nearest way, often l>arefooteil in warm 
weather, until near the meeting house — men and women too 
— then putting on their shoes which they had brought in 
their hands. 

A plant which was supi)Osed to have l^een long extinct 
came up on the site of the old meeting house, after it was 
removed and its ancient site bared to the sun and rain. The 
little hill has since V>cen razed l)y the roadmakers to a level 
with the street. 

OTHER. SOCIETIES. 

The sway of the First Society was undistur})ed until about 
the year 170;"), when the Baptists l)egan to hold meetings 
here at some of the houses, and by means of circuit preachers 
to draw off the people. Meetings were held at the house of 
'Squire Elisha Pitkin, which for its hospitality to the old 
society and to the new orders was called the ministers' 
hotel, — at Benjamin Roberts' (now Hezekiah Roberts'), and 
at other places. At this time residents in the old society 
began to present certificates showing that they supported the 
gospel with the Baptists, or with the Methodists, and obtain- 
ed exemption from the old church rates. Among these was 
10 



14t) HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 

Isaac Leskw, a B:iptist. (179.V), and Nelu'uiiali Smilh, a 
Methodist ( 17 'J8). 

Feihiips tlic liai'd Jlicology of l>i'. Williams may have 
liasteiied these vvillidrawals ; Imt tliey were, ol" course, iiiev- 
italde, as was the growth of the sects wliicli prompted theiri. 
At any rate the good Doctor was iniicli Irouhled altoiit the 
secessions from his tiock, and launched his pamphlet against 
them with a sincere hope of winning them back again. 

A gazetteer, published in 1819, says there were four societies 
in Bast Hartford (including Manchester) — two Congrega- 
tional, one IJaptist, and one Methodist society. Tiie only set- 
tled ministers were Congregationalists. The IJapiisls held 
meetings for a time in the old school-lnjuse in Scotland, 
where a Mr. Nelson came occasionally to preach. 

SPENCER STREET MEET1N(! HOUSE. 

The Methodist Society first had its meeting-house on 
Spencer street, now in the town of Manchester, a half-mile 
east from Spencer Hill. It stood nearly opposite the head of 
Keeney street. The land for its site was given by Thomas 
Spencer, who deeded it to the trustees in Feb., 1800. The 
meeting-house was built with a steep, pointed roof, the gable 
end toward the street, and it had a cupola upon it. It is no 
longer standing. Peo[»le came from a distance,— some IVom 
Main street, — to attend the meetings here, the women riding 
on pillions. 

Thomas Sj»encer was a somewhat coarse, noisy person, who 
preached id times, and pi'ayed always with a loud imction. 
Of his illil(!rate fervor some anmsing stories are told. It is 
said he once prayed that the" Lion of the tribe of JudalT' 
might be slain. Once, at a camp meeting, (inding no o|)j>or- 
tunity to exhort, he mounted a stump in the outskirts of the 
camp and cried, "Fire! lire! lire!" until a wondering crowd 
had gathered. When asked where tlie tire was, he answered, 
" Why, my soul is all on lire," and began preaching vehemently 
to them. Once, at table, he said he felt as sure of heaven as 
he did of eating a piece of meat he held on his fork. That 
moment it fell under the table, and a dog snapped it out of 



ECCLESIASTTCAL HISTORY. 147 

sight ill a tvv^iiilcling. These stories indicate jiositive traits of 
a chiiracter wlileli i)rol>al)ly was vigorously useful in its day. 

HOCKANUM METHODIST EPISCOPAL SOCIETY. 

In the roll of names of inenil>ers of this church some are 
put down as hsiving made a proi'ession of faith as early as 
1798. Its earlier meetings were held at the Ik^uscs of widow 
Simeon Smith, and of Mr. John Porter, at a time when it 
relied on circuit ju'eachers for its ministrations. -The site of 
its present meeting house Avas deeded in May, ls;>7. The 
people heciinie a sciiarate charge in 1846. 

BURNSIDE METHODIST EPISCOPAL SOCIETY. 

T]n' lirst meeting-house of the cliureh society in Scotland 
stood on the street just east of the residence of the late Wil- 
liain Ilanmer. It was a plain brown house, built sometime 
before 1S34, without cupola or steeple. It was moved back, 
and is now used on the Haiimer place for a horse barn. The 
site of the present meeting-house in Burnside was given 
to tlie society by Mr. (Tcorge Goodwin. This church has now 
a line organ, and a live and growing membershi]i. 

ST. .John's parish. 

In May, 1804, Tliomas H. Harding, George Hills, Agis 
Easton, Moses Cha,ndh:r, and others, associated themselves in 
a society under the name of Grace Church, — a Protestant 
Episcopal Society. '^I'liey fitted up a little chapel south of 
Mr. Easton's house, in Scotland, now Burnside, using for the 
pujpose the frame of the old ancestral Easton house. This 
cliapel is now a tenement house. Meetings were afterwards 
held on Main sticct, in Klni Hall. The society was reorgan- 
ized, and was named St. John's Parish. The su))stantial 
stone church of this parish on Main street was erected 
thi'ough the instrumentality of Mr. John J. McGook, its present 
jtastor. It was begun in 18')7. 



148 ' HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 

ST. Mary's church. 

This church has the sph-itiial care of all the Roman Catho- 
lics in East ITartt'ord and in adjacent parts of Sontli Windsor. 
It first be^an raising money for a church edifice in April, 
187o. It held its first ser^^cc in Elm Hall in July of that 
year, and was made a separate jmrish at that time. Its 
church edifice was completed in 1877, and first occujued in 
November. Rev. Patrick Goodwin was its first pastor, taking 
charge in August, 1S73. He died in 187G, much beloved 
by his people. Rev. John A. Mulcahy succeeded liiin. The 
present pastor is Rev. John T. McMahon. 

HOCKANUM ECCLESIASTICAL SOCIETY. 

This society was formed in 1876. Among its members are 
many once connected with the old First Society. Its meet- 
ings were for a time held in the hall of the Second South 
school-house. Its pleasant and commodious church edifice 
was Itegun in 1876, and was dedicated and the society (hily 
formed in Septeml)er, 1877. Its pastor is the Rev. William 
P. Clancey. 



PARISH OF OPtFORD. 



CHAPTER Xin. 



The present town oi Maiielicster was ori,ti,iiially called the 
Five Miles, that being the length, east and west, of the new 
territoiy |)urcliased by the town of Hartford of Joshua Sachem, 
in 1(>72. Much information concerning its earlier history has 
been incorpoi-ated in another chapter (Early History, 1670- 
1774). This ti'act continued to be known as the Five Miles 
nntil 177-5, when it was set off from the Tln'rd Society of 
Hartlord, and luimed the Parish of Orford. I'bis name the 
territory bore until the year 182:^), when the town of Manches- 
ter was incorporated. 

The lands in this tract lay in common foi- many years, snb- 
ject only to such occasional gi'anis as <fie General Court 
might make, or to such orders as the projtrietors in conuuon 
might vote. Meetings of the proprietors were held in the 
court house in Hai'tford, many of them being residents of the 
west side of the river. More votes were passed at these 
meetings than were acted upon, and they are to the investi- 
gator somewhat confusing in their nature. So early a.« lt>82 
it was decided to divich; the last grant of land between tlie 
inhabitants. But in 1728 we again find a vote ordering a 
division of the whole tract. Later votes still indicate that 
even then nothing was done al)Out a real division. 

In 1720, 200 acres were ordered laid out for the hrst minister 
wIk) should settle there, to be laid out in one, two, or three 
parcels, as should he deemed best. The phice where the cop- 
])er mines were su}>[»osed to be was to remain nndivided, "to 
lye for the general Itenefit of the proprietors." A committee 
was ap})ointed to nuike "a model or scheme," showing in 
what manner the whole eould best be divided. Tlie following 



150 HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 

vote was also passed, — a formal taking- ])ossession of real 
estate being then necessary under tlie Knglish law: 

"Voted, tliiit two of siiid coininittee fortliwitli go and ciitcu' upon snid 
propriety and take possession tliereof l)y Turf and Twigg, fence and 
enclose a piece oi' the sanu;, l>reak up and sow grain thereon within the 
ench)sure, and that they do said service in right of all the pro]jrietors, 
and take witness of their doings in writing nnder the witnesses hands." 

Other votes in regard to the hiy-ont of tracts for division 
were passed, as well as votes ordering liighways, and a sale 
of a ]»art to pay the charges of laying out the rest of the hind ; 
and James Chnrch was chosen to draw the allotments for 
each proprietor. Bnt still nothing appears to have lieen 
accomplished, save the making of expense, and in 1730 a tax 
of £49 4s. was laid on the proprietors. 

The following year (1731) a record was made of the grant 
made pursuant to the allowance of the committee of Dec. 30, 
1677, to the heirs of Thomas Buridiam and of William Wil- 
liams, of "e(|iiivalent lands" allowed them by said committee, 
"what Windsor line had cutoff theii- lots," — a tract of 300 
acres, bounded west by the line of the upland lots (three inile 
lots), and the five mile lots, and running easterly by Windsor 
line 300 rods, and in breadth north and south 100 rods, 
bounded north by Windsor line, and east and south by tlie 
undivided lands. 

By this grant William Williams encroached somewhat upon 
the land of Solomon (oilman; and the committee gave (jlilmaii 
fifty acres in compensation, beginning south of Williams's 
laiul upon Jamstone plain, west of the cart. |»ath; thence 
south one half mile to Mill River (now Hockanuni River), 
&c., leaving twelve rods for a highway across said piece of 
land, east and west, upon said plain. 

The first gcjiei-al division of a part, of i]\o Five Miles, lying 
"next to Bolton, from Windsor to (iilastoid)ury," was made 
in 1731.'' llie surveyors began east and went west on the 

* There was a diiference among our own townsmen ahout the proprietor- 
ship of the "five miles." A paper exists signed by Samuel Makeus and 
twenty-nine others, binding themselves to hinder (by attorn(!ys and com- 
mittees) sundry of their neighbors, who call themselves proprietors of the 
said five miles, in laying out or possessing the whole or any part thereof. 



PARISH OF ORFOBD. 151 

line between Glastoiihiiiy :ind Hartloid 210 rods to tlic lliiity- 
rod Iiighwiiy (said liiglivvay extondinii,' north to Windsor 
bounds, and bcMiii;- tlio west (nid of <]ie casterniost tier of lols), 
and biiltii)";' Oiisl on IJollon bounds." Tbty b(\t;'an at GhisJon- 
liury bounds and laid out the lots, bejj;inning' ni No. l,as tliey 
woro (U'avvn by vote of the pro]>rietoi'S. Tlie width of tlie 
several h>ts is given in chains and buks — as Thomas Thoru- 
to]i, I eliains, GO links, and so on. As few- — j)erhaps none — 
of the grantees settled (Ui their land, it has not been thought 
worth while to give the whole lisl, which may be found in 
Hartbud Land Records, volume 2. 

This same year "the line run by sm-vcyor Kind»erly 
betAveen Die Five Miles and tlie three-mile uj)laiH] lots" was 
declared to be the permanent divi<ling line between the two 
sections; and it was then votc<l (hat three miles one huiub-ed 
rods at the east side of said Five Miles be laid oid, inchuUng 
higliways, and excepting tlie co]»[»eJ' mines, to (he }»ro[trictors. 
The renuunder, excepting Court gi'ants and the graid to 
Buridiam and Williams, to remain in common. For the pro- 
tection of sn)all (rees and green timber in tliese conunon 
lands, votes were passed, as well as other votes allowiiig the 
cutting of elm, beech, maple, ash, black birch, and pipcridge, 
above eighteen inches in diameter. 

Encroachments were made ujton these lands fiom time to 
time. In 171'd some Windsor men had set up a saw mill here 
without a shadow of right. And, in 175o, a committee was 
again ai»pointed to oust tres|tassers who had taken ))Ossession 
of land here. 

This year (l75->) it was vo(e<l to hty out and draw by lot 
the whole of the connnon and undivided land, " to each pro- 



by demolishing any monnmehls, fences, &c., which they shall erect there. 
The iiaper is apparently dated Marcli 24, 1731. It is signed l>y Samuel] 
Ma-kons, Daniel Dicinson, Iticliard liurnham, Uichard Gilman, IJieliard 
( )linstetl, Thomas Spencer jner, Jonathan Cole, Sain" Easton, John Bid- 
well inner, Joseph Bidwell, Joseph Simonds, Jonathan Pratt, William 
Worren, John Ilassaltine, Daniel Williams, Dan" Bidwell, Dishrowe 
Spencer, John Makons, Benjamin Cheney, Timothy Williams, Obadiah 
Wood, Jacob Williams, Gabrell AViliiaras, Gabriel Williams, Juner, Will"' 
Williams, iunr, Timotiiy Eastou, William Forbes, Joseph Robarts, Samuel 
Smith, Thomas Trill. 



152 HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 

pi'ietor his e(|un1 luopdrtion jvcconlini;- to the payments of the 
pnivhase ol said laiKls,'" as ejiteicd in the records. Col. John 
Whitiuu' and i\[r. Thomas llosmer were to draw (he lots in 
the names and behalf of the original |»roprietors. Othei- votes 
occur, one jtassed llu! nexi. year aj>i)ointint!,- Cap!. Sanuiel 
Wells, (-apt. Sd'plicn JIosnier,''and Messrs. Josiah Olcott and 
John Ilaynes Lord, a committee to view the land and ''■draw u[) 
a scheme or model " of how it might best be divided, according 
to the vote. We find no record of the lay-out of this last di- 
vision, although it was ordered recorded the same year (1754). 

There has been found, however, a copy of the sni-vey or 
" scheme " made by order of this committee by Williain Wells, 
surveyor. It is in the possession of Aaron G. Olmsied, Esq., 
of this town. The tract laid out bounds south on '' Glassen- 
bury" 574 rods, and on Windsor bounds 410 rods. Tlie east 
line runs straight from Glastonbury to Windsoj- 4A uiiles, and 
is north 1° east. The west line is straight also. The s|tecial 
grants already set olT are : To Buriduim & Williams :*)00 a,ci-es 
in the northwest coi'uer ; the Oilman lot lying south of this 
and al)out (JO rods from the west bounds, and running south 
about 60 rods wide to the river, 57 acres ; the Col" Pitkin lot, 
lying about 100 rods south and west of Gilman's, and just east 
of the present powder mills, and Indging into the new lay-out 
in an irregular curved line, 50 acres ; the Olcott's and Simons' 
lots, an irregular square near the center of the whole lay-out, 
857 acres and 100 rods ; Mr. Olmsted's lot lies about 60 rods 
south of this and contains 201 acres ; Mr. Wyllys' lot, 92 
acres, Porter's 16S acres, and Capt. Jonathan Hills' 80 acres, 
are laid out in the southwest corner of the tract and are of 
the same length, east and west, as Burnham's and Willifims' 
—320 rods. 

Prior to this time some had settled within the Five Miles, 
and, under the fostering Court grants, several industries had 
s|)rung uj) along its streams. The peoj)le had become numer- 
ous enough in 1745 to have their school money improved 
among them, and in 1748 they were allowed their |)art of the 
minister's rate to procure preaching at home during three 
months of the year. They ])etitioned to be made a separate 



PARISH OF ORPORD. 153 

society ill ITG:!, and afterwards ; l)ut because of a, lack of una- 
nimity ainonu' themselves, their petition was not granted until 
June 5, 1773, when they were set off as the Parish of Orford. 
A site for their meeting-house was decided upon in 1774, and 
is still occupied by the Center Meeting-House, in Manchester. 

There was some opposition to the formation of the new society 
on the part of the old. This arose princijially from the fact 
tlintthe petitioners asked to have the west line of their society 
fixed five and one-half miles from Bolton line, thus coming 
over the old line of ditches between the Five Miles and the 
three mile lots, one-half a mile. But notwithstanding this, 
th<^ line was here established, and although it wns afjerwards 
contested, it was never restored to the old line of ditches. 
The i)iesent line of the town of Manchester is about SO rods 
(one-quarter of a mile) west of the east end of the three mile 
lots, which, at the south side of the town, end at Keeney 
street, so called. No record has been found of this line, but 
it is marked by suitable landmarks, we have been told. 

In 1784 the town appointed a tax collector in the new j^arish, 
and its assessment list was sei>arately made out. In 179:2, Dr. 
CTCorge Grriswold was allowed to set up a hospital to ]tractice 
inoculation here. 

In 1S12 the Parish of Orford unsuccessfully aspired for 
town ])rivileges of its own ; but the town of East Hartford re- 
fused to unite with it in its petition, and voted to ojipose it in 
the General Assembly, unless the line were made at the end 
of the three mile lots. 

The town of East Hartford held its annual town meeting in 
the meeting-house in Orford, in 1813, and from that time it 
was held liere alternately with the First Society, until the year 
1S23, when the town of Manchester was incorporated, with 
bounds identical with those of the Parish of Orford. The new 
town held its first meeting June 16, 1823. The accounts of 
the old town and its poor were divided, and Manchester 
assumed its })roportionate share of them. 

Further facts in regard to this section will be found in the 
chapter on Industries, and elsewhere. 
20 



INDUSTRIES. 



CHAPTER XIV. 

The excellent water privileges furnished l)y the Saw Mill 
(now Hockannm) River, and its tributaries in our town, and 
in the present town of Manchester, were early utilized by the 
settlers. In 1639 William Goodwin and John Ci-ow bought 
776 acres of land on the east side of the great ri\er, bounded 
west by the " boggy meadow," and continuing east to the east 
end of Hartford bounds (three miles), for the purpose of estab- 
lishing a saw mill upon the site of the present mills in Burn- 
side. The present village of Burnside was formerly known as 
Scotland, said^to have been so named l)y some of the Forbes 
family who came from Scotland, Great Britain. The site of 
the mills long owned by the Pitkins was also known as Pit- 
kin's Falls. Our town at first was nearly covered by forests of 
white and yellow pine, and the work of converting them into 
lumber for the uses of the young settlement was of prime 
necessity. In 1654 Mr. Goodwin bought other adjacent lands 
of John Talcott, with all privileges and rights. The same 
year the General Court gave him lil)erty to take timber from 
the " waste lands " to keep liis mill on Saw Mill River run- 
ning. Goodwin's mill stood on the site of the present lower 
mill in Burnside. .John Crow, who married William Good- 
win's daughter, beciinie owner of a one-third interest in this 
mill and a corn mill which liad been added to it. This interest 
he sold ill 1686. Afterwiirds the Pitkins acquired possession 
of it, and used a part ol' the power for a fulling mill. Good- 
win & Co. bought a controlling interest in this mill in 1826, 
adding at a later date buildings for making paper. The title 
passed to Hanmer & Forbes in 1863, and is now held by the 
Hanmer & Forbes Company, which has greatly improved the 



INDUSTRIES. 155 

buildings and manufactui-es paper only; and tlie old grist- 
mill is one of the institutions of" the past. 

John Allyn, secretary of tlu; Colony, had a mill soniewhcie 
on the flockannni j)rior to IHTl, and was granted lUO acres 
ahoid it, with the j)rivilege of taking timber from the com- 
mons, "forliis encouragement in the improvemeid- of a saw 
mill he hath Imilt for the public benelit." This was laid uui 
to him, "•a neck of land al)utting on Saw Mill River, commonly 
called Hockanum Ri\er, ioward the south, and toward the 
east," containing SO acres ; and twenty acres on !■'■ Saw Mill 
River on the south aud on a liiook runniug in Spar Mill 
Swamp toward the west/' This is the site of the present 
powder mills in Burnside. 'llie swamp lying directly north 
of them is to-day known by its owners as Sjtar Swani[>. 

In March, 1673, there was laid out to Corporal John 
Gilbert two hundred acres of land, "on the east side of the 
great river, al)Out two miles eastwardly from Mi'. Crowe's 
saw-mill, upon a brook called flop Brook.'" Hop Brook is 
the South ]\Ianchester branch of the Hockanum. Probably 
the first value of the land was for the timber which stood 
upon it, and the o])portunity to convert tlie timl)er into 
lumber. 

Another saw-mill was built just below the present bridge 
in Burnside, on the site now occupied by the East Hartford 
Manufacturing Com[»any, jirior to 1669, by John Bidwell and 
Josei)h Bull, and they were gi-anted two hundred acres in the 
next commons, "witli lil)erty to take tiinber out of ilie com- 
mons for the improvement of their mill as their need sliall 
recpiire." This land, with forty acres granted to Thomas 
Harris, — 240 acres in all, — was laid out to them in May, 1671, 
on what is now known as Cliestnut Hill, east of Burnside, 
John Bidwell had a tan-yard on an island in what is now 
Bushnell Park in Hartford, in the early days. An interest in 
the mills in Burnside remained in the Bidwell family for 
some time. A story is told of the conscientiousness of one of 
the family. Worn out with overwork in a busy season, he 
fell asleep in his clattering saw-mill and slept twenty-four 
hours, unconscious of the lapse of time. Awaking, he saw 



156 HISTORY OF p]AST HARTFORD. 

the sun going down the west. He stopped his mill, and 
started out. At the grist mill he stopped and shouldeied his 
grist (the mill was never locked then) and })lod(led home- 
ward. Arriving there lie was (|uestiuned in regard to his 
long absence, and he was horrilied to find that his mill had 
been making idle noise all the Lord's day, and that he had 
borne a secular )»urden in holy time. He straightway sat 
down with his Bible and passed the next twenty-four hours as 
piously as he thought he ought to have kept the preceding 
day. 

A fulling mill, for fulling homes])un goods, was in operation 
next below the Burnside bi'idge, prior to 1G90. During that 
year it was burned and rebuilt. A white oak tree which was 
one of the landmarks on the eastern boundary of its site is 
standing to-day, just north of the Ijridge. This mill was 
owned by William Pitkin (2d), who had in connection with 
it a large clothier's trade, conducted by his sons, William 
(afterward (}o\ernor) and Joseph (afterward Colonel) Pit- 
kin. This mill site was occupied by Gen. Shubael Griswold 
and Amariah Miller in 1784, for a paper mill and a fulling 
mill. A saw-mill stood below this mill and above the grist 
mill. Hudson & Goodwin bought this site in 1811, together 
with the adjacent saw-mill. It passed to the Hudsons in 1821, 
their deed naming two paper mills and a saw mill. BosM-ell, 
Keeney & Co. bought it in 1851, using the works entirely for 
the manufacture of paper. They t)wned it until 1864, when 
Hannier & Foi'bes becaine the purchasers, selling in 1865 to 
the East Hartford Manufacturing Company, wlio manufacture 
fine writing pa[)er. * 

The upper mill site in Burnside, just east of the bridge, was 
bought by William Pitkin in 1690, and leased to Thomas and 
Daniel Bidwell, Thomas Spencer, and John Meakin, who built 
a saw-mill there. This mill was burned in 1713, and the 
Pitkins erected a saw and corn mill on its site. Hudson & 
Goodwin built a paper mill here in 1789. An oil mill stood 
at the north end of the dam in 1807. Other improvements 
were made, and George Goodwin purchased two paper mills 
on this site in 1815. They were bought by Hanmer & Forbes 



INDUSTRIES. 157 

in 1863, who sold the south mill to F. R. Walker in 1864, 
who still uiaiHii'actures pa[ter there with enlarged facilities. 

Perliaps worthy of mention among- the early industries of 
our town are the copper mines, in what was then the Five 
Miles, although they were never prohtahly productive. The 
land about them was reserved to the proprietors in common 
in 1728. A shaft was sunk into the hillside, l)ut the work 
was afterwards abandoned. They are situated just below 
Case's mills in South Manchester. 

The second use which we know was made of the water 
privilege at the })resent powder mills was in 1747, when C'ol. 
Jose])h Pitkin set up iron slitting there, he having been given 
the sole j)rivilege of thai industry by the General Court for 
fourteen years. But the British Parliament, with au eye to 
the promotion of trade in Euglish manufactures in his majes- 
ty's dominions, prohil»ited this industry, with others, in 1750. 
This mill site is still called ''The Forge" by some of our older 
people. It was long owned by the Pitkins, who in 1775 
began the manufacture of gunpowder, for which pur])ose the 
power has been more or less used ever since, the Pitkins 
having been succeeded in that industry by Messrs. Hanmer & 
Forbes (1846), and they l»y the Hazard Powder Company 
(1S60). 

In 1784 William Pitkin, having suffered losses in the manu- 
facture of [»owder for the public use, asked for the privilege of 
using his mill in the manufacture of snuff". The sole privi- 
lege of making snuff' in the State was granted him for four- 
teen years, exempt from taxation. The town also leased ten 
acres of highway on the Ilockanum River to William, George, 
and Elisha Pitkin, .fr., for a snuff' mill site this same year. 
This was in the Parish of Orfortl. 

Iron working was carried on again at The Forge about the 
year 1782, anchors, mill screws, nail rods, etc., being made 
there. The guns of our old artillery company were cast there 
in 1797, — the gift of Elisha Pitkin, Esq., to the company. 
In 1812 powder was furnished to the State from the mills, 
and several bills for the same are still preserved. 

During the Revolution powder was also manufactured just 



158 HISTORY OP EAST HARTFORD. 

east of the Biirnside bridge, and the mill exploded and killed 
a man. Many similar explosions, attended with death of 
workmen, have happened at the Forge mills. 

The lirst paper mills in town were set up in Orford Parish 
in 1775. They were owned by Watson and Ledyard. Three 
years later these mills were l)urned, it was supposed by 
design, and the widows of their founders asked the State 
for a loan, showing their loss to have been £5,000. They 
also stated that their mills had su])]>lied the press of Hartford 
with S,000 sheets weekly, and had made a great part of the 
writing paper used in this State, beside large quantities for 
the Continental Army and its officers. Permission was given 
them to hold a lottery to raise the sum of £1,500, and man- 
agers, good and sulistantial men, were ap[»ointed. 

In 1783, the Pitkins again started out in a new Held of 
industry; William Pitkin, Elisha Pitkin, and Samuel Bishop 
being granted the sole privilege of making glass in the State 
for twenty-five years. In October, 1789, they came forward 
with a -petition asking to be allowed to set up a lottery to 
raise the sum of £400 to cover heavy losses incurred ))y the 
employment of an unskillful superintendent of their works, — 
one Holtert Hughes, of Boston. Their prayer was granted, 
and Jonathan Stanley (town clerk) and Elisha Pitkin and 
Shubael Oriswold (selectmen) were appointed managers, "to 
pay all the prizes which shall l)e drawn in said lottery to the 
persons holding such f(ji'tunate tickets," the residue to go to 
the petitioners. The })icturesque stone walls of the old glass 
factory are still standing in Manchester, south of the Green, 
and near the house of Mr. J. R. Pitkin. 

SILK CULTURE. 

The culture of silk in this section was begun about the year 
1783, and was at first encouraged by premiums given by the 
General Assembly, — lOs. a year for three years for every 100 
mull)erry plants, and 3d. an ounce for raw silk. This Multicau- 
lis business, as it was called, after the Morus Multicaidis trees, 
was at its height thirty or forty years ago. It is said to have 
received its greatest impulse from the endeavors of Samuel 



INDUSTRIES. 159 

Wliitiiiarsh, of Nortliaiuj)ton, who had been abroad studying 
silk culture, and who planted trees and built cocooneries with 
large promise of success. The sul)ject was much discussed 
in the public prints, and thousands went into the business. 
The young trees, on the leaves of which the worms were fed, 
commanded extravagant prices, and a few, who sold out their 
nurseries just before the public became convinced that silk 
culture could not succeed in our climate, made fortunes. 
Many met with serious losses, rooting up their trees and 
throwing tliem away at last. The white mulberry t]'ees, still 
growing in neglected hedges and ahout our (ields, are the 
offspring of this cultm'e. 

Our townsmen went very generally into the business. The 
trees were j)ropagated l)y means of twigs buried in trenches, 
each Inid sending up a new plant. Pome raised trees only; 
others l)ought and sold the eggs of the moths, and fed the 
caterpillars in '' cocooneries " built for that }iur]iose. Dr. 
Pardon Brownell had one of tliese cocooneries, and Mr. 
Tbomas Burnham, — a sort of hot-house structure, with shelves, 
on which the caterpillars were daily supplied with fresh leaves 
from the nnilberry trees. Other breeding-liouses were built 
or fitted up; luit the worms died in large numbers, and were 
swept out and buried. Some, however, produced cocoons, 
and the writer remembers seeing a large bin of them in Dr. 
Plrownell's liarn. The cocoons, when completed, were gently 
baked to kill the chrysalides inside, and then the silk was 
reeled off on a common hand-reel and wheel, and sent to the 
mill. Sewing-silk was made from home-raised stock in the 
mills in Lisbon and in Mansfield in this State; also in South 
Manchester, where the present extensive silk mauuractuiT's 
were begun at this time by the Cheney Brothers, who at (list 
wrought in native silk alone. 

W'iu'n tliis industry was at its V)est there was a little eight- 
page monthly magazine, "-The Silk Culturist and Farmers' 
Manual," pu))lished in Hartford, in which the different pro- 
cesses are discussed with great interest and minuieness. The 
''Silk Growers' Guide," another publication ol a similar 
nature, says (18-)5) that for seventy years silk has been raised 



160 HISTORY OP EAST HARTFORD. 

in Connecticut, and tliat it has become a regular and profitable 
employment, although but primitive machinery is used — the 
common reel and spinning-wheel — and the worms fed any- 
where without fires. The financial troultles that culminated 
in 1837 knocked the bottom out of this roseate belief, and 
to-day there is prol)ably not a silk-worm in town. 

Butler A: Hudson built a paper-mill in Orford in 1784, 
probably on the site of Keeney & Wood's present mill. 

The first cotton-mill set u}) in Connecticut was built on the 
site of Hilliard's mill in Buckland in 1794. It was owned by 
Samuel Pitkin & Co., and made velvet, corduroys, and fustian. 
(Barber, Hist. Coll.) 

Some of the smaller streams in our town were employed in 
vai'ious industries. There was a saw-mill set up at an early 
date on the site of Plills' mill, on Pewter Pot Brook, in Hock- 
anum. This afterwards (1802) became a gristr-mill, and is 
still used for that purpose. Higher up on ihc same brook, 
just north of Brewer Lane, stood an old oil mill, for making 
linseed oil from flax seed, in 1802. A part of ihe dam may 
still be seen. An oil mill also existed in Burnside about this 
time. 

Opposite the site of the lower mill in Burnside once stood 
a nail-cutting mill, carried on by Timothy Bidwell and Joseph 
Hale in 1808 and later. Its site was used afterwards for a 
saw-mill, which was carried away by the disastrous ^'shet of 
Oct., 1869. 

A gazetteer of 1819 gives tlie following' as comprising the 
industries of our town at that time: seven paper-mills con- 
stantly running, with a double set of workmen, — several with 
two engines; eight or ten powder-mills; two cotton and one 
woolen factoi-y; "two glass works, where vast (piantities of 
Ijottles are made and sent into various parts of the country 
for sale"; a hat factory, with water power and patent pro- 
cesses, making abundant low-priced hats for the southern 
(slave) markets; also tanneries, clothiers' works, hatteries, 
four carding machines, six or eight grist-mills, several saw- 
mills, "and various other mechanical establishments and 



INDUSTRIES. 161 

employments." This description of course included the 
present towns of East Hartford and Manchester. 

The old hat factory mentioned above stood near the north 
end of the Hockanum causeway, just across the road east 
from the old meeting-house site. Its water-power was derived 
from a dam across the Hockanum, 40 or 50 rods east of it, 
with a race-way conducting the water to the hillside in a 
nearly east and west line. An older mill, used for grinding 
grain and plaster, and for carding wool for the hand-looms of 
our ancestors, stood at the foot of the "hatters' shop hill" in 
the olden times. It was Iniilt by Elisha Pitkin, Es(i., and was 
not a very profitable investment. The "head of water" was 
small, and nmch back-water from the floods made its use 
uncertain at some seasons of the year. 

Another of the batteries, now a dwelling, stands on the 
west side of Main street, next south of the Hockanum Bridge. 
Hats were made for thirty or forty years in a shop which 
stood in the dooryard of Mr. Martin Stanley, now the Wm. 
H. Olmsted place. 

A saw and grist-mill once stood on the brook near the 
Daniel Winslow place, in the South Middle District, and was 
run by Benjainin Rolierts of Hockanum. There was also a 
saw and grist-mill lower down on this stream, near the house 
of Mr. Allen Wads worth. It was on this site that Mr. George 
Curtis began the manufacture of plated goods alnnit 1840, 
afterwards removing to Naubuc. 

Willow Brook was once used for manufacturing purposes. 
It industriously turned a nail mill about eighty years ago. 
There was a tannery here beside it, owned by Mr. Perez Com- 
stock. The vats, now filled u]», still exist under the small 
house next south of the Itrook, on Main street. The tannery 
was a rough building, with sluitters arranged for drying the 
hides. There was also a tannery ( Hallet's) in the rear of 
the premises now owned by Dr. S. L. Childs. 

One of the largest tanneries ever conducted in town was 

one established may years ago by Asahel Olmsted, father of 

Giles and George Olmsted, in the hollow north of the late 

Geo. Olmsted (later A. P. Pitkin) place, on Prospect street. 

21 



162 HISTORY OP EAST HARTFORD. 

It was run afterwards by Selah Wel)ster, Esq., who died in 
1831. 

Aslibel Warren and Isaac Lester carried on a tannery l)ack 
of Mr. Anstin Warren's house on Silver Lane, and had their 
vats near the hillside. They also made shoes, and traveled 
South winters and sold them. This was about 1S20. There 
were a number of shoe shops on Silver Lane not many years 
ago. 

Seventy-five years ago or more several clothier's shops stood 
about Main street ; one by the Stanleys, north of Mr. Norman 
Webster's; and one l)y Col. George Pitkin, north of the Root 
house ; and one in Burnside near the lower mill. The fulling 
for these shops was done at the power mills in Burnside. 

" Poudrette," a patent fertilizer, was made twenty-five years 
ago in buildings on tlie meadow hill north of the Ash- 
bel Olmsted place, by the Liebig Manufacturing Company. 
"Poudrette lane" leads to the site from Main street. 

The house now owned by Dr. L. W. Mcintosh was long a 
tool shop, carried on by a Mr. Brooks. He labored on a 
"perpetual motion machine" for years, — and his invention, 1 
was ingenuously told, operated successfully — "at least for a 
time." 

Much tin ware was once made by the Foxes, in the shop 
on the west road below Pewter Pot Brook, in Hockanum. 

Bricks have been made in various places in town. Among 
the earliest places is the locality of Pock-House Hill in the 
river swamp, known also as " clay pit." Later they have 
been numerously made in Burnside, and on the Connecticut 
at Colt's Ferry. 

At this last locality was once a ship yard and a store. 
Some of our [)eople remember launchings here, and the boys 
used to find pennies on the site of the old store. 

During the late war of the Rebellion a steam " shoddy" 
mill was built on Main street, just north of the railway 
station. Its business was the picking to pieces of old rags, 
which were then sold to manufacturers to work into new 
goods. It was first built of wood, but was burned, and after- 
wards rebuilt of stone ; this, however, was burned out by (ire, 



INDUSTRIES. 163 

and was not rebuilt. It was owned l»y Andrew Farnhani and 
others. Messrs. Stedman & Banci'oft's lumber yard now 
covers its site. 

Mill street, in the center of the town, was nanied from the 
steam grist and saAV mills which were carried on hero in con- 
nection with the sale of coal. They stood a little way from 
Main street a few years ago, and are now dwelling houses. 
The original firm was Hurd & Perkins, who bouglit out Jared 
A. Ayres' coal yard. 

The spoon shop on Main street, south of the railroad, was 
established ))y J. H. and W. L. ritkin. 

The making of syrup from sorghum was carried on by Dea. 
Edward -Hayden a few years in a small mill, in what was 
tlien an old "sand pit," now apart of Central avenue. It 
was not attended with profitable success. 

Other small industries have Iteen carried on in town, but 
have l)ecome obsolete and forgotten in the changes of the 
passing years. 



SCHOOLS. 



CHAPTER XV. 

The town of Hartford made early provision for the educa- 
tion of its children. The first mention of a pul)lic school 
occurs in the record in 1643, when Mr. William Andrews was 
appointed "to teach the children in the school" for one year. 
He was to have for his pains £16. 

In 1650 the Greneral Court made it oljligatory upon towns 
having fifty householders to " appoint one within their town 
to teach all such children as shall resort to him, to write and 
read, whose wages shall be paid either by the parents or 
masters of such cliildren, or by the inhabitants in general by 
way of supi)ly.'" Towns of one hundred families were to 
" set up a grammar school, the masters thereof being able to 
instruct youths so far as they may be fitted for the Univer- 
sity." The reasons given were as follows: 

" It being one chiefe project of that old deluder, Sathan, to 
keepe men from the knowledge of the Scriptures, as in for- 
mer times keeping them in an unknowne tongue, so in these 
latter times by ])erswading them from the use of Tongues, so 
that at least the true sence and meaning of the originall 
might bee clouded with false glosses of saint-seeming de- 
ceivers ; and that Learning may not Ijee buried in the Grave 
of our Forefathers, in Church and Common Wealth, the Lord 
assisting our indeavors," etc. 

In March, 1660, the town gave Mr. William Pitkin liberty 
to teach school in Hartford, and in November of that year 
empowered the townsmen (selectmen) to hire John Church's 
house for his use. A year later he Avas granted £8 from the 
town rate to teach the ensuing year, and each scholar was 
either to send a load of wood "within a month after Mich- 



SCHOOLS. 165 

imas" (Michaelmas, Sept. 29), or pay 3s. to procure wood. 
In 1602 he was paid X5 for keeping school from October to 
April. 

There were no schools on this side of the Great River prior 
to 1708, although travel to Hartford in the winter season was 
often impossible. That year the Ecclesiastical Society peti- 
tioned the General Court to allow them to improve their own 
part of the school rate among themselves for a writing and 
reading scliool. In 1710, Rev. Samuel Woodbridge, Mr. 
Samuel Wells, and Mr. William Pitkin (2d) were appointed 
to hire a school master, and to take especial car(^ that tlie 
money so oljtained be improved. A scliool-house was ordered 
^ built and sott up in ye most convenient place between y^ 
meeting house and y« house of David Forbes." There is no 
evidence that this house was built, or that there was any 
school taught here until eight years later. But it is hardly 
jirobable that after such decisive action no further steps 
should be taken. We think the school-house was Ijuilt some- 
where on Main street, between the Hockanum causeway and 
Central avenue. 

Two schools were established in 1718 ; one north of the 
Hockanum on Main street, 16 by 18 feet, ''•besides the chim- 
ney space." This house was set by the committee " who 
liave viewed the road, in the country road or highway a few 
rods southwards of the east end of the lane that leads from 
Joseph Olmsted's into the other highway, not exceeding six 
rods."" Its site was in the middle of the highway, near the 
present Second North school building, the custom for many 
years being to set the school-houses in the highway on pulv 
lic land, or just through the fence on somebody's lot, with 
entrances directly upon the road, which was the only play- 
ground. A permanent goose-pond stood in the highway near 
this school-house.* 

The school-house south of the Hockanum was to be 16 hj 

* Ilegardiug this pond a story is told. " Uncle Tbad." Olmsted once 
discovered wild ducks in it, and crawled out behind the fence with his old 
tliat lock musket, but the "pesky thing" failed to go off. His wife crept 
out after him with a brand from the tire-place, and touched off the gun, 
killing some of the ducks. 



166 HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD, 

16 feet " beside the chimney space " — a huge fire-place, form- 
ing one end of the building, into which great logs were rolled 
l»y the boys. Its site is not known, though prol^ably it stood 
south of Willow Brook. 

A separate teacher was not hired for each of these schools, 
but Capt. Pitkin and Lieut. Olcott were to provide a master, 
and have the time divided, " according to the inhabitants 
from an east and west line from the bridge on Hockanum 
River." This practice of having but one teacher, who spent 
his time in the different schools according to their share of 
the rate, prevailed for many years. 

In 1721 the sum of X9 12s. 4d. was voted to the schools. 
The next year a master was to be hired for five months, and 
a dame for the other six months of the school year. 

In 1723 all male children, more than seven and not four- 
teen years of age, were to pay their equal pai't of schooling 
from year to year, whether they went to school or not ; and 
the females from seven to eleven years were to pay their 
part. The parents and masters of male children were to 
furnish the wood in equal parts, or pay a fine of 4s. a load 
for neglect. 

In 1727 the society voted to relieve the children of one- 
half the expense of the schools ; in 1720 the society assumed 
it all. 

The inhabitants living two miles east of the country road 
(Main street) were allowed their ratable part of the school 
money in 1735, to be improved, by direction of the committee, 
among themselves for a school. This" was the first school in 
Scotland (now Burnside),and it meant only that the common 
stihool teacher should spend a proportionate part of his time 
in that neighborhood. 

A school was kept in Hockanum in 1738, a })roportionate 
part of the eleven months, between the house of John Hill 
on the north, and that of Samuel Wells on the south. 

In 1741 the Colony sold " seven townships " in Litchfield 
County, and divided the money among the societies for the 
use of schools. Our society received bonds and cash equiva- 
lent to ,£172 in silver. This money was let out at interest, 



SCHOOLS. 167 

and was known afterwards as the School Society Fund. It 
continued a snug help to our schools until the year 1863, 
when, by the failure of its treasurer, it vanished foi- ever 
from sight. 

A school was allowed in the Five Miles in 1745, with the 
one sole teacher, and under the direction of the same com- 
mittee the rest of the town had. 

In 1748 a new schooldiouse was ordered in or near the 
middle of the society, on the " point of land near the meeting- 
house somewhere near the bridge or hollow near Mi-. Pratt's 
northwardly and the causeway southwardly." Mr. Pratt lived 
across the hollow north from the house of Mr. W. A. Wright. 
Tlie schools on Main street were this year divided into three 
parts, " as near as may be, and kept according to the former 
vote." 

Richard Gilman and others living north of Gilman's Brook 
were granted their proportion of the school money for a 
school in 1750. 

Four schools were ordered on Main street in 1751, the 
society voting to allow school-houses to be built as follows : 
Near the house of AJjraham Hills, north side the l)rook. 
This was made a wooden building, and stood just north of 
Pewter Pot Brook, in Hockanum, on the west road ( Main 
street). It was succeeded by a brick building, which was 
burned out a few years ago, — when the site of the school- 
house was changed to near the Methodist meeting-house. 

The next school-house was to be near the house of Silas 
Easton, we think near Silver Lane, on Main street. To 
accommodate the inhabitants from Hockanum River to Ste- 
jjhen Olmsted's, one was to be set near the line Itetween 
Russell Woodbridge's (now Wells' tavern) and John Huil- 
burt's (the house now occupied by Mr. James Bancroft). 

The fourth school-house on Main street was to lie set south 
of John Gilman's house and north of Gilman's Brook, in 
Podunk, on what is now known as the " old road." A 
Gilman lived on the site now occupied by the house of Mr. 
N. L. Anderson about this time, and possibly the present 
" Pirate Hill " site was then taken. 



168 HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 

A school-house was to be placed " in the center " between 
the houses of John Bidwell and Timothy Spencer on the 
country road (in Burnside, perliaps on the site of the old 
Scotland school-house, nearly opjmsite Mr. Mahlon Forbes'); 
and one to accommodate the ( )lcotts, the Simons, and those 
that lived near them (on Hoj) Brook in Manchester), — 
" always provided that the houses be l)uilt without cost to the 
Society." 

A school was also to be ke])t on Jamstone Plain (west of 
Buckland's Corners) ; one near Ezekiel Webster's ; one " in 
the center lietween Sergt. Samuel Gaines' and Alexander 
Keeney's (now Hillstown'O; and one near Doctor Clarke's. 
The schools in the Five Miles were to be ke]>t only at the dis- 
cretion of tlie committee. 

"And it was further voted, that each of the six ])]aees 
where the school-houses are allowed to be liuilt shall each 
have their ]iart of the pulihc money for tlie support of schools 
according- to the lists of the respective districts, on condition 
that they add so much money as will keep the school three 
times as long as the public money ",.... would liave kept 
them. 

The " noi'tli division for schooling " on Main street was 
given one-lialf of the old scliool-house wliich stood north of 
the Hockanum River, and near the meeting-house ; and the 
division next north the other half of it. The old school-house 
south of the Hockanum was also divided between the two 
divisions there. The last two divisions afterwards became 
the South (now Hockanum) and the Second South Districts. 
The school-house in the latter stood for many years in the 
highway, near the present residence of Mr. George A. Wil- 
liams. It stood near the w^est side of tlie street, with only a 
pathway between it and the fence. It l)ecame much dila|»i- 
dated, — "you could throw your hat tlirough it anywhere," 
the boys having ri))|)ed off the boarding to kindle the fii'e. It 
was superseded by the i)resent building on tlie east side of 
Main street. 

In 1766 was passed a state law ordering tlie division of 
the societies into districts to draw the pulilic money ; and from 



SCHOOLS. 169 

about this time specific appropriations for schools were no 
longer made by our society, — the districts managing their 
own affairs, although the society still appointed the com- 
mittees. 

A new district was formed in the southeast corner of the 
town in 1768, extending from " CTlastonl »ury line to the north 
side of Mr. Ritter's lot, west so far as to take in Mi". Samuel 
Roberts, and east to the end of the lots." Its territory is 
now occupied by the South East and the South Middle Dis- 
tricts. Its school-house stood west of the lirook on the north 
side of the Hillstown road. It was burned down during a 
state of ill-feeling, which just preceded the division of the 
district. 

The fifth district (now Burnside) was extended east on the 
country road (Spencer street) in 1779, to the end of the three 
miles, so as to take Silas Spencer into the district. 

This year also the two districts north of the Hockanum 
were made into three, as follows : From the river to BidwelFs 
Lane (Burnside avenue,) and Benjamin's Lane (Orcliard 
street,) so called, "from the east to the west bounds of the 
present district to be one district; from said lanes to the 
north side of Timothy Cowles' lot, running easterly in said 
line until it comes to the Highway that leads from Gilman's 
to Samuel Bidwell's, thence by said highway to the east 
l)Ounds, to l)e one district; and all north of said line to East 
Windsor bounds to be one district." 

Of these divisions that first described was the first lay-out 
of our present Center District. Its school-house was built 
near the south end of the plot in front of the Center Bury- 
ing Ground. It was a wooden structure, and liad a large 
fire-place occupying one end, and a loft overhead, to which 
the boys used to climb to evade their tasks, or to escape pun- 
ishment. The desks were planks, fastened aslope around the 
walls, with l)enches also of rude planks upon wliich the chil- 
dren sat with their backs toward the center of the room. Pend- 
ing the displacement of this house it was assailed one night and 
part of its chimney torn down. It was succeeded, a little north 
of the same site, in 1819, by a two-story brick building, Avith a 
22 



170 HISTORY OP EAST HARTFORD. 

chimney at each end and a l)elfi\y in the middle of the roof. 
The upper hall was sometimes used for lectures and meetings, 
and for artillery sword exercise ; afterwards a school was 
kept in it. This building was known as the "bell school- 
house," because of the sonorous bell in its cupola. It was 
razed in 1858, and the present Center School building erected 
opposite the head of the Bridge Road. 

The second division north of the Hockanum became after- 
wards the present Second North District. Its school-liouse 
was built in the center of the highway, in front of the present 
school building, where had formerly stood the first school- 
house known to have been built north of the Hockanum. 
South of it was the "goose-pond." This Ituilding was after- 
wards (al)out 1(S12) moved away and became the present 
" Cowles house," next south of Mr. William Stanley's home- 
stead. The arched ceiling in the second story still remains : 
it once crowned a hall in which social dances, etc., were held. 
A brick building succeeded it, which in turn was replaced by 
the present west building in 1856. The east building was 
added in 1878. A primary school was once taught in this 
district in a little house which stood in what is now Mr. Henry 
Bryant's garden. It was moved back upon the hill and 
becaiue the home of Mr. Levi Bemont. It is now a pai-t of 
the tobacco house of Mr. Norman Webster. 

The north division of the three districts formed at this 
time is our pi'esent North District.* Its early school-house 
was built on "Pirate Hill," very near the site of the present 
school building. 

The Meadow District was formed in 1795 by setting off all 
of the Center District west of the meadow hill, excepting 
what lay south of the South Meadow Road. This exceptional 
part was afterwards taken from the Center District and 
divided between the Meadow District and the Second South 
District. 

THE SCHOOL SOCIETY. 

School societies wei-e formed in the towns in our State in 
1796, in accordance with an act of the General Assembly, 
creating them for the pur]iose of receiving the income from 



SCHOOLS. 171 

our present State School Fund. This fund ai-ose from the 
sale of certain lands lying west of and Ijounded east l)y, 
the Siate of Pennsylvania, one hundred and twenty. iliiles in 
k>ngth from east to west, and about seventy miles wide. 
This land was included in the original charter of Connecticut, 
which gave the grantees all the land within certain lines 
" from the said Narrogancett Bay on the east, to the South 
Sea (^Pacific Ocean) on the west part." The original sum 
arising from the sale of this land was tl ,200,000. The 
State School Fund now amounts to over two millions. On 
the question, What shall be done with this fund y our town 
voted with the majority, that it should go wholly to the sup- 
port of common schools, instead of partly to the schools and 
partly to the ministry. 

The school societies were really no new body (^f men — tliey 
were simply the old ecclesiastical societies meeting in the new 
capacity of school societies, keeping their records from this 
time separately. They yearly appointed a committee of 
eight or nine persons for all the districts until 1839, when 
the- districts were made corporations, with power to elect 
their own ofificers. The societies chose the visiting com- 
mittee, and a committee to receive the town's share of the 
income from the School Fund ; they also liad power to form 
districts, which could tax their inliabitants for the mainte- 
n^mce of schools. After 1839 the school societies still had 
charge of the boundaries of the districts, of the {public 
money, and held the ai)pointing power in regard to the visit- 
ing committee. In 1856 they were dissolved throughout the 
State, and the towns assumed their duties. 

Long Hill District was first formed in 1819, being set off 
from the east end of the North District. In 1830 all within 
its 1)0unds, " south of the south side of the middle turnpike," 
was set off to the Mill District. In 1837 it was made a 
"union district" with District No. 6 in East Windsor (now 
South Windsor). 

In 1830 a change was made in the lines of the North Dis- 
trict, — the alteration placing Col. Solomon Olmsted's home- 
stead (now Mr. W. H. Boyle's) in the Second North District. 



172 HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 

Col. Olmsted was to pay '^2A0 to the North District annually 
for five years. 

The first school-house in the Scotland or Mill District (now 
Burnside) stood nearly opposite the dwelling house of Mr. 
Mahlon Forbes, south of a small pond. It is now a dwelling 
house. This district was divided into the North Mill and the 
South Mill Districts in 1841, the Hockanum River being the 
dividing line. In 1873 these two districts were united again 
for the purpose of better grading the schools, — a higher de- 
partment being set up in the office of the mill northeast of 
the bridge. The name of this district was changed to Burn- 
side in 1878. A post-office of that name had been established 
here in 1865. 

The name of the South District was changed to Hockanum 
District in 1878. 

In 1857 the South Middle District was formed from the 
western part of the South-East District, and new school 
houses were built in both these districts. 

We have now traced the origin of all our present school- 
districts, and for their definite boundaries refer to a volume 
of historical notes gathered by Mr. Walter A. Riley and now 
in the town clerk's office. The names and numbers of our ten 
districts are : 1. North. 2. Second North. 3. Center. 4. 
Second South. 5. Hockanum (once South). 6. South Mid- 
dle. 7. South-East. 8. Burnside (once Mill). 9. Meadow. 
10. Long Hill. 

Our schools under the present law are supported by the 
town by a system of appropriations, under the supervision of 
a joint l)oard consisting of the selectmen and the school 
visitoi-s. For this piu-pose the town receives from the State 
the sum of -tl.SO for every child enumerated between the 
ages of four and sixteen years ; this amount being annually 
appropriated by the legislature for that purpose. It receives 
also from the School Fund tl.OO for every child so enumer- 
ated. The origin of the School Fund has been given. 

J3esides these helps there is an annual income of about. 
1350 from the Town Deposit Fund. This fund came from a 
distribution, by act of Congress in 1836, of surplus money in 



SCHOOLS. 173 

the United States Treasury to the different States, according 
to their congressional representation. It is to be held as a 
deposit, subject to recall at any time. It was to be paid to 
the towns in four equal installments, in January, April, July, 
and October, 1837. The last was never paid, owing to the 
financial revulsion of that year. What was received was 
deposited with the towns according to their population. The 
conditions imposed by the State are: 1st. That it must be 
held as a trust fund. 2d. That all income arising from it 
must be given to the support of schools. 3d. That the towns 
must make good any loss or deficiency in the original amount. 
4th. That the same must be fully repaid to the State Treas- 
urer when called for. 

The amount our town received from this fund was 
i5, 745.48. The town is at present using a large part of this 
fund, having given its note to the treasurer of the fund for 
the amount used. From these sources the town receives 
enough to pay more than one-fourth of the expenses of its 
schools. The annual appropriations for the last two years 
have been 17,000 (1877), and |6,i300 (1878). 

THE ACADEMY. 

Aside from the puljlic schools, special efforts have been 
made at different times in behalf of education in our town. 
Most prominent among these was the institution of the Eng- 
lish and Classical School Association, which erected the 
brick building knijwn as the Academy, on the Wells tavern 
property, and for a time maintained an excellent school. It 
was a joint stock investment, divided into 170 shares of -flO 
each. The names of the associated members, with the rules 
for the management, will be found in the town records, vol. 
17, page 574. The trustees were Col. Solomon Olmsted, Dr. 
Pardon Brownell, and Mr. Erastus Woodruff". The school 
was established in 1833, under Mr. Theodore L. Wright, and 
soon obtained a wide patronage, many attending from out of 
town, and finding temporary homes here. In 1836 Mr. Edgar 
Perkins was principal. The school afterwards fell into less 
efficient management and was finally closed. The property 



174 HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 

was bought by Jonathan T. Wells in 1858, and merged into 
the Wells estate. 

Our Ex-Governor, Richard D. Hubbard, was a, pupil at 
this academy, and his name appears in the catalogue of 1833, 
and also, in several places, in the "exhibition" programme of 
1835. 

Rev. Increase N. Tarbox, D.D., distinguished also as a poet, 
was also a pupil of this institution, as were many of the 
present residents of our town. 

A select school was kept l^y Mr. Salmon Phelps, a veteran 
teacher, and sometime town clerk, in the house opposite the 
First Congregational Church; and afterward in the Academy 
building with a good attendance and satisfactory results. 

Other private schools have been taught; one for primary 
scholars being at present maintained l)y Mrs. Harrison on 
Burnside avenue. 



roat:)S, bridges, and ferries. 



CHAPTER XVI. 



The primitive road was a mere Ijridle patli through the 
forest, with marks blazed upon the trees to guide the traveler. 
These paths led from one settlement to another, or reached 
out into the wilderness to the clearing of some venturesome 
pioneer, or stretched, a thin trail through the woods, to far 
Mohegan (Norwich), or to the ])lantation at Pequot, now New 
London. Often they led to some isolated mill site, on Saw 
Mill River perchance, or upon Hop Brook, one of its tribu- 
taries. The early settlers on this side the Great River set 
their houses in the most eligible places, on slight eminences 
to overlook the country for the Indians, or near localities 
favorable to pasturage and cultivation. The early roads had 
reference only to these, and, in many cases, are now wholly 
obliterated. The settlers had no vehicles save heavy carts, 
wains, or tumbrils, and pairs of wheels upon which they 
loaded one end of their timbers, leaving the other end to drag 
upon the ground behind them. These vehicles were drawn 
by oxen by devious ways through the woods, pounding over 
stumps, and splashing through the bridgeless streams with 
far-resounding jolt and shout and clatter. Later there were 
roads laid out with regard to through travel, and men built 
their houses beside them for convenience as well as for safety 
and sociability. 

One of the earliest roads used in town was one which ran 
north from the landing place on the Great River to Windsor. 
The Island road in Podunk was a branch of tliis road, and 
was laid to his dwelling by Thomas Burnham, who lived on 
the north side of the present home lot of Mr. John A. Burnham. 

A road must also have been made very early to the mill 



176 HISTORY OP EAST HARTFORD. 

sites in Burnside, where much timber was sawed for use in 
building on the west side of the Great River. Other early 
roads were used, of which no record exists. Some of them 
were afterwards laid out as town roads with no hint of their 
earlier use; indeed, short cuts through the wilderness prob- 
ably indicated the most feasible courses for many of the 
roads which were afterwards laid out. It will be well to bear 
this in mind while reading the following pages, which have 
to do only with dates that are upon the records. 

FIRST ROAD THROUGH THE UPLAND LOTS. 

Tlie first record of a highway laid out in our borders is of 
a road abjng the meadow hill, a part of which is still a public 
way, and is now called Prospect street. It was ordered laid 
out at a meeting of the proprietors of the three-mile lots in 
1640, " The proprietors that were present at the laying out 
of these lotts did mutually consent that there should be a 
highway of four rods wide through all these lotts, which shall 
be layed out by Mr. John Crowe and Mr. Wm. Pitkin, as near 
the swamp and boggy meadow as conveniently may be." 
This road once ran along the meadow hill from Windsor to 
Glastonl)ury, crossing the Hockanum near the mouth of '•' the 
Gidf." ajid following the hill again down through Dowd's 
Grove, southward, until it came out, just north of Pewter Pot 
Brook, into the present highway, near the site of the old 
Hockanum school-house. Some of the earliest houses in 
town were built along this road, in places where no road at 
present exists. 

The same year (1640) a committee was appointed to order 
the highway in the meadow from the river to the upland, — 
now tlie " North Meadow Road," — in regard to which later 
action will appear. 

EARLY BRIDGES. 

The first bridges were ordered built in Hockanum l)y the 
General Assembly in 1663 : 

" This Court orders Tho: Edwards and the i-est of the 
inhabitants at Hockanum, all above sixteen yeares old, to 



ROADS, BRIDGES, AND PERRIES. 177 

take some speedy oppertunity to make two Bridges, the one 
over the Brook at the pLace called Sadler Ordiiary, the other 
at Frog Brook, where may be most sutablc ; in each Bridge 
to lay three Trees, so hewed that they may be sufficient for 
horses to passe safe over. Thomas Edwards is to oversee the 
work, and is empowered to call the rest of the p^sons forth 
to performe the work, according to the Courts ex])ectation 
herein ; and ihe Court allowes ten shillings towards the w^ork, 
out of the Publiq' Treasury ; it is to be finished before May 
Court. They are to mark out the way from ye common way 
to tlie Bridge at Frog Brook." 

Thomas Edwards was a resident of Naubuc, but the bridges 
were proba])ly for the accommodation of travel toward Hart- 
ford. Sadler kept a public house, as will be seen in the chap- 
ter on that topic. Frog Brook is the stream which crosses 
Main street near the house of Mr. Joseph H. Porter. 

MAIN STREET. 

Our present Main street was ordered laid out in 1670, by 
the General Assembly : 

"The Court orders that the selectmen in the respective 
plantations on the River shall lay out a highway six rod wide 
upon the upland on the east side of the great River, that men 
may pass to their lotts there as occasion shall require ; and 
they may order the fence to be sett up in the place where 
they shall order the highway to be sett out. And this Court 
grants the severall plantations that their bownds shall extend 
to the eastward twenty rod farther then their three miles 
formerly granted, in consideration thereof." 

Whether the proprietors took the twenty rods granted them 
is not known. Mr. Agis Easton, county surveyor, thought 
the lots did not indicate it. By a vote of the town of Hart-, 
ford in 1670, these roads were to be known as country roads, 
or King's highway. The course of this highway through our 
town is as follows : Beginning on the main traveled road 
(l>ettor known as the New London turnpike), below the house 
of Ml'. Ira W. Porter, near Glastonbury line, and running- 
northwesterly around by the house of Mr. Joseph H. Porter, 
23 



178 HISTORY OP EAST HARTFORD. 

it continues northerly to tlie honse of Mr. Osmyn E,o])erts ; 
thence it turns westerly until it crosses Pewter Pot Brook. 
From that point its course is northerly, past the town faru) 
and the South Middle Burying Ground, — north of which it 
runs side by side with tlic New London Turnpike for more 
than a fourth of a mile, when both roads unite and form our 
principal street. After crossing- the Hockanum causeway the 
tuinpik<3 turns west tow^ard Hartfoixl ; the old highway con- 
tinues northerly until it reaches the house of Mr. R. A. 
Olmsted, where it forms the right fork over the brook, and, 
afterwards, the left fork to South Windsor bounds. 

The town instructed the selectmen to straighten Main 
street, from East Windsor line to the bridge road, in 1826. 
No records show that anything was done. 

HIGHWAY NEAR WILLOW' BROOK. 

In 1678 a highway was to be settled " from the country 
road upon the upland on the east side of the great river 
through Widow Andrews her land to the great river," there 
being opposition by some of the town. This was near Willow 
Brook, and in 1679 the committee reported that they had 
" determined a highway for common use to be and remain 
fower rods in bredgth from the mouth of the Hoccanum river 
to run L»y the great river southerly uppon the highland until 
it pass cleere of the south side of a ditch that was formerly 
William Houghtens, and from thence to run easterly over a 
bridge that was made )>y Edward Andrews, and from thence 
to run on the north side of the Widow Andrews ortyard and 
then to be six rods wide and beare southerly to the east until 
it meeto with John Dix his fence, and to continue the same 
bredgth on the north side of said Dix his lott to the end of 
Hartford bounds east, for publicke use." 

Edwards Andrews was one of the first settlers here, and 
lived on the meadow hill just north of Willow Brook. It 
is thought that, this road entered Main street just north of 
Mr. Ralph Ensign's house, but its other courses are uncertain. 
It did not become a i)ei'manent road. In 1728 the selectmen 
were instructed to care foi- it fi-om the mouth of the Hocka- 



ROADS, BRIDGES, AND PERRIES. 179 

lunn " lip to the upland and so to the north 8i(U> of Diek's hit 
to the end of Hartford bounds, and endeavor wliat may be 
l)roper to be done that the said higliway may be accommo- 
dated for passage.'" 

In 1743 it was superseded by another road, as will be seen 
under the title of ^ Brewer Lane." 

NORTH MEADOW ROAD. 

A road was to be laid out by the committee of 1678 from 
Main street to the river, " somewhere lietween Mr. Crow's and 
Mr. Pitkin liis house.'" John Crow lived on the Ozias Rolierts 
place, and an old road runs down into the meadow near it; 
but William Piikin lived near the ])resent railroad, and prob- 
ably the road laid out by the committee was that known as 
the North Meadow Road. The committee appointed a liigh- 
way two rods wide from the north end of "■ Mr. Jomxthan 
Gilbert's * Island and that land north that lyeth between the 
great river and the highland east up to the mere-stones of the 
lotts to l)e for a landing-place, and from thence where the 
carts liave already made a passage down the bank to run 
easterly to the swamp that is next the upland on the north 
side of a ditch that is near the sayd swamj) on the south side 
of Mr. Olcott's land, which highway is ordered to be two rods 
in bredgth, and through the swamp to be I'ower rods wide to 
tlie upland, to run upon a white oak tree uppon the side of 
the hill which is markt by us, and on the side of that hill to 
turn north towards William Buckland's lott, and from thence 
a highway fower rods wide is appoynted to run between Mr. 
Aaron Cooke his lott and sayd William Buckland's lott east 



* Jonathan Gilliert was a raerchaut, and dealt in Avines and liquors and 
other commodities. He owned a warehouse on the west side of the river, 
and was a prominent citizen. He bought tlie island named after him in 
tliUO, of Thomas Bird. It contained fourteen acres, and was bounded east 
by Dutch Island and the meadow lots; south against the Little River's 
mouth, and west by Connecticut River. This island was in later j'ears 
called "Pomp's Island," because Pomp Equalitj^, a negro, liarliored his 
sloop in a cove below it. Pomp also owned land upon it. Though then 
in part or wholly an island, it is no longer so, except in time of high water. 
A gi'adual fdling up of the meadows has left the ancient merestones three 
feet or more below the present surface of the ground. 



180 HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 

to the country road [Main street], and we judg it convenient 
that the higliway run to the end of Hartford bounds the same 
bredgth." 

"■ Also Ave have ordered a common landing place upon Mr. 
Jonathan Gilljerd's island on the east side of the Great River, 
where now it is, to be fower rods wide uppon the banck next 
the river, and to be two rods wide upon the banck or highland 
belonging to Mr. John Pantry, and from thence to turn north 
two rods wide to run untill itt meetes with the common 
highway north upon the highland by the meerestones of 
those lots as bounds with meere-stones." 

Land for tliis road was afterwards sold to the town by Jolm 
Easton, in 1696, who deeded two rods in width from the 
river to the land of Samuel Olcott. It was agreed, however, 
that said two rods in width ''should only extend to the high- 
way upon the bank leading from Potuncke to Hartford land- 
ing-|»lace on the banck of the meadow next to the low land 
leading to the river." Easton also deeded '•'• 20 feet in breadth 
of land from said highway on the bank of the river, some 
few rods northerly from the above mentioned place where the 
two rods Cometh into the highway to belong to said town for 
a highway, which hath been the town's for many years," and 
bounds by the river west, by highway east, by Easton on the 
south and north. 

Samuel Olcott also deeded a strip across his land for this 
road, two rods in width, bounded north and south l»y his own 
land ; eastward by " the !)ridge causeway or highway newly 
repaired or built at the charge of the town of Hartford," west 
by land of John Easton, " forever as a country rhoade or 
highway for traveling, driving, or any other improvement 
whatever." 

That this road was ever carried beyond Main street there 
is now no evidence. It came in a nearly straight line from 
the landing place north of the present bridge, where for 
many years the ferry was kept. Sometimes at low water the 
stream was forded near here, and hay and grain from our 
meadows carted across. 



ROADS, BRIDGES, AND FERRIES. ^181 

HOCKANUM BRIDGE. 

Tlie first bridge across the Hockamim River in this town 
was liuilt at Bnrnside, where tlie teaming abont the mills 
made it necessary. Lower down the stream was probably 
passed by fording, when it was possible so to do. William 
Pitkin, Capt. Nichols, and John Marsh were a})pointed in 
1700, "• to view a convenient place for a bridge, and order the 
building of a, liridge at the town charge." In 1724 passed 
the following vote : " Whereas the town hath been at great 
I'ost from time to time to erect and support a bridge on the 
east side of the Great River in Hartford on the road leading 
to Hock.'inum, and yet the inhaltitants on that side do not 
sufficiently make the landway at the ends of said Ijridgc, 
sufficient for persons to pass without a vessell to pass tlie 
water, even when there might l>e good passing on the l)ridge 
if the ends were sufficiently causewayed: It is therefore 
ordered that the town will not for the future pay anything 
towards building or repairing said bridge until the inhabit- 
ants of the east side make the land at each end of said 
l)ridge." This work was done by the society in 1731, when 
ihe surveyors of highways were asked to call out the persons 
ol)liged to work on tlie highways two days in the year, and 
'' employ them to work in the swamp .... near the meet- 
iug-house, to raise a causeway across the swamp." The 
causeway has since been raised to a higher level at different 
times. The trees were placed along it hj vote of the town in 
1837. A new bridge was built over the river in 1828, in 
place of the old (jne, which had fallen. The present bridge 
was built in 1864, and has been subsequently altered and 
repaired. 

NORTH PROSPECT STREET. 

The road from Richard Burnham's to Joseph Olmsted, Jr.'s, 
as then fenced, was accepted as a town highway in 1717. 
This is the present road from Main street, near the house of 
Mr. Putnam, to the meadow hill, near the house of the late 
Mr. Ashbel Olmsted. This road was widened one-half a rod 
from Jared Hurlburt's to the Meadow Hill in 1858. 



182. HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 



BURNSIDE AVENUE. 



In 1722 tho selectmen were ordered to lay out a highway 
from the end of a street leading- by the house of John Bid- 
well, " to run northerly on the western side of a swamp, 
al)0ut a rod within the improved land of Daniel Bidwell, Jr., 
extending on that course the said lireadth of four rods from 
the said two lots of Bidwell and Case [Case then owned Mr. 
C. C. Moody's place], and then eastward," etc. They re- 
jiorted in 1725 that they had done the same " from y« east 
end of y« lane which runs by John Bidwell's north across y^ 
lotts l)elonging to y*^ heirs of Daniel Bidwell, dec*, four rods 
wide, butting west on j^ fence now standing near bear 
swamp : * Then runns round on ye brow of y^ hill four rods 
wide in Benjamin Cheeney's land so far on ye heighth of y^ 
hill as to make y«" highway convenient, till it comes to y" lott 
of Daniel Bidwell dec', before mentioned. Then turns east 
on yp north side of said lott four rods wide till it comes to y« 
next turn of y hill. Then turns to y^ top of y hill on John 
Bidwell's land so as y-' way may be convenient: To be and 
remain for a highway forever, till it comes to y^ north line of 
y abovementioned lott of y heirs of Dan' Bidwell; then 
continue east on y^ north side " said lot four rods wide, to the 
west end of Daniel Bidwell's field "near ye mills." Then 
south, four rods wide, across said lot and lot of Lieut. John 
Meakins and Ensign Sanniel Meakins ; from thence continue 
four rods wide on the lots of heirs of William Pitkin to the 
Fulling Mills. 

Attached to this report is a quitclaim deed of the land 
taken, signed by Daniel Bigelow (the road was once called 
Bigelow Lane, and Bidwell's Lane), Benjamin Cheeney, 
Daniel Bidwell, William Bidwell, John Meakin, Samuel 
Meakin, John Bidwell, William Pitkin, Joseph Pitkin. 

* This "bear swamp " is said to have derived its name from the fact 
that a Mr. Corning, a spinning-wheel maker, wlio lived in Scotland, 
killed a bear here. The people made a barbecue of tlic beast, and made 
Corning the mock hero of the feast, crowning him in a ludicrous fashion, 
and drinking many toasts in token of his exploit. 



ROADS, BRIDGES, AND FERRIES. 183 

SOUTH ROAD TO BOLTON. 

The above road was continued from the Fulling Mills (in 
Burnsido) to Bolton line. The proju-ietors along it signed a 
paper signifying tliat if the said continuation of the highway 
from the " great street" toward Bolton be made but four rods 
wide, instead of six, they would "take up full satisfied with 
the seciu'ity the said connnittec do give us for tl)e pay- 
ments of our respective sums annexed to each oi' our names 
[to wit] : 

John Pitkin and Joseph Pitkin acquit the town from pay- 
ing anything. 

James Forbes, =£3. 

Benjamin Roberts, gives his as the jury returned. 

Daniel Bidwell, gives cross his land as the jury returned. 

Thomas Spencer, for what it takes off the side of liis lot 
(he gives what it takes cross his lot), £5 16s. 

William Corbett, gives cross his lot. 

Joseph Pitkin, for what it takes on the side of liis lot, £6 
15.S-." 

SILVER LANE. 

In 1728 the selectmen were directed to view a ])lace for a 
I'oad south of the Hockanum River. Two years later their 
return concerning a road from Benjamin Hills was accepted, 
and the sum of £76 7(7. was voted to pay for the land. In 
1731 the deed of the land was given for a roadway three rods 
wide. Tliere were nine grantors, among whom was divided 
the JjlQ Id., according to their respective proportions. The 
road al»uts west on the country road (Main street), and began 
at Benjamin Hills' land, he selling 83 rods in length and 3 
rods in width, — " reserving to myself a few foots round my 
well." Next came John Hazelton's land, he selling 36 rods 
in length and IV rods in width,— " reserving 8 foots soutli of 
my house ; " then Samuel Hills, wlio sold 105 rods in length 
and 3 in width, as also 1 i rods wide and 106 in length, to 
run the same course ; then John Abbey, 62 rods long and I2 
rods wide ; then John Kilbourn, 22 rods long and I2 wide, 
abutting south on Samuel Hills' rod and a half ; then Samuel 
Smith, 25 rods, 22 of wliich were 1^ rods wide, abutting south 



184 HISTORY OP EAST HARTPPORD. 

on Samuel Hills' It] rods, and 3 I'ods on Joseph Rolierts' 1^ 
rods. Then, turning due south 14 rods, and 4 rods in width ; 
then east 3° north, on John Cadwell's land, 76 rods and 4 rodf; 
in width ; then on Thomas Kilbourn's land, the same course, 
one mile and 140 rods (4 rods wide), abutting east on the 
country road that leads [from the Fulling Mills] to Bolton. 

The deed is signed by Benjamin Hills, John Hazeltine, 
Samuel Hills, John Abbey, John Kilborn, Samuel Smith, 
Joso])h Rol)erts, John Cadwell, Thomas Kilborn. 

This road was afterwards changed at the " Sand blow," to 
pass around the hollow there, and also at the angle near tlie 
head of the mill road, so called. When this was done we do 
not know, — perhaps by the committee appointed by the Gen- 
eral Assemljly, in 1798, who altered the road from Orford 
meeting-house to the Hartford Ferry, for the '' convenience of 
publick travil." 

ROAD EAST, NEAR GILMAN'S BROOK. 

This road was viewed by the selectmen in 1728, and sur- 
veyed in 1734. The deed was not given until 1744 ; it is 
signed by John Goodwin, John Goodwin, Jr., and Caleb Good- 
win, in consideration of £15 formerly paid fo William Good- 
win by the treasurer of Hartford. The survey is as follows : 

" I began at said Country Road, and thence lan parallel to 
the dividing line between Hartford and Glassenltury, 1 mile 
75 rods east, taking 2 rods out of Decon Goodwin's lot, and 1 
rod out of heirs of William Goodwin : Then South squarewise 
across said Goodwin's lot 27 rods 13 links: Then East be- 
tween John Goodwin and Timothy Cowles's lots 27 rods near 
a swamp, taking 2 rods out of Goodwin's land and 1 rod out 
of Cowles's lot : Then South across Timothy Cowles's lot 22^^ 
rods : Then East between Cowles's lot and Capt. Roger Pit- 
kin's land 27 rods, taking 2 rods out of Pitkin's and 1 rod out 
of Cowles's land : Then south 91^ rods and 3 links across 
Roger Pitkin's, Capt. Ozias Pitkin's and Susanna Bunco's lots, 
and lot of heirs of Nathaniel Pitkin, deceased : Then east be- 
tween lots of Nathaniel Pitkin and Ca])t. William Pitkin to 
the end of the three mile lots, taking 1^ rods out of William 



ROADS, BRIDGES, AND FERRIES. 185 

Pitkin's land, and li rods out of Nathaniel Pitkin's land ; 
Said highway to be three rods wide in all parts." 

Other deeds and surveys carry this road by various courses 
to the bounds of the town of Bolton. 

The easterly part of this road was to be viewed and made 
more convenient by exchange or otherwise in 1735. Beyond 
the point where an intersecting road turns south toward Burn- 
side, it is now a mere track through the woods, emerging on 
' the Long Hill road, just north of the railroad crossing. For 
many rods east of this place it has been obliterated by the 
railroad, the road-lied of which lies along its course. Farther 
on it is represented by the Tolland Turnpike. 

ROAD EAST ALONG WINDSOR LINE. 

Joseph Talcott and Daniel Goodwin were ap])ointed in 1748 
to view and enquire about a piece of land about two rods wide 
next to Windsor bounds, said to be left vacant, and see 
whether it were best used for a liighway. In 1744 the 
town voted to obtain it for that purpose, provided it could be 
had without cost. In January, 1744-5, it was deeded by thir- 
teen persons, who give as a reason, '•'• especially for the neces- 
sity to reach their lands, and also for conveniency of having a 
town highway." It was laid out one rod and fifteen links in 
breadth from Windsor line, and bounded north by that line, 
and west by the country road (Main street), — "• which way is 
now opened on the north side of the dwelling house of John 
Burnham the younger, and is bounded the whole length east- 
ward on the south side by the land of said John Burnham, 
Jabez Burnham, and Jonah Williams ; and from tlie country 
road eastward until it comes to the land of Jonah Williams 
being near a mile and a half." It was to he one rod and fif- 
teen links in breadth from the west line, " and after it comes 
on the land of Jonah Williams until it meets a road in the 
bounds of Windsor coming to the dividing line, the said way 
is to be two rods in breadth." 

The deed is signed in the following order : — by John Burn- 
ham, Sr., John Burnham, Jr., and by Cliai-les, Jonathan, Ja- 
bez, Caleb, David, and Timothy Burnham, Jonali Williams, 
24 



186 HISTORY OP EAST HARTFORD. 

John Wood, John Anderson, Samuel Burnham, Joseph 
Burnham. 

BREWER LANE. 

A place for a highway eastward to the commons, between 
Hockannm River and Glastonhnry, was viewed by Joseph Tal- 
cott and Daniel Goodwin in 1743. The following year repre- 
sentation,s were made to the town in meeting assembled of a 
highway supposed to have been formerly left, or set out, near , 
the proposed new road, and a committee was appointed to ex- 
amine the records for the same. It was " said to be on the 
east side of the great river leading from Tim : Williams east- 
ward through the three mile lots." (See " Highway near 
Willow Brook.") This, if found, was to be sold, or exchanged 
"for land that may be more accommodable for the use of a 
highway." Where this was first laid out we do not know ; 
hut in 1751 the General Assembly made void the doings of a 
jury appointed by the County Court, and directed tlie court to 
appoint another jury for a new lay-out. They were " to begin 
at the said road [now the west road leading from Hartford to 
Glastonbury] and to lay-out a highway from thence eastward, 
to be on the soutli side of said Sanuiel Wells's lot, of suitable _ 
width until it fall in with the said highway on said lot laid 
out by the former jury, and assess the damages," etc. The 
Wells family owned land from this road north to the north 
side of the house lot of Mr. Addison Pitkin, and extending, I 
am told, to the three-miles end. 

THE '•'NEW road" IN PODUNK. 

William Wolcott of Windsor, and others, petitioned for a 
highway westward from the common road, from near the 
house of William Cowles northward to Windsor bounds, and 
so into the country road against the house of Thomas Elmer, 
in 1752. This was opposed by the town of Hartford, and 
again in 1762, when it was again prayed that it might be laid 
out " between the meadow fence and the old road." 

In 1769 Col. John Pitkin and Elisha Pitkin were appointed 
to confer with East Windsor and endeavor to get alterations 
in the new highway "west of the old road," to have it come 



ROADS, BRIDGES, AND PERRIES. 187 

in above where the jury had laid it, so as to open east on the 
okl road at the place where most likely to communicate with 
a new road proposed eastward to Pitkin's Mills, Imt without 
success. We think the place of •'• the road j)roposed eastward " 
was taken by the road l)ranching from tlie road east from 
Richard Gilman's, and leading now to Burnside, and known 
as the Mill Road, Imt find no record of it. 

ROAD TO PRATT'S FERRY. 

The west road from near Pewter Pot Brook toward Naubuc 
was projected in 1763. The town of Hartford appointed a 
committee to attend the County Court in regard to a road 
from Glastonbury to the country road near the house of Sam- 
uel Roberts, and, if it is found necessary, to get it at as small 
expense as possible. But it does not appear to have been 
opened so late as 1784, when the town agent was instructed 
to apply to the court " to have the road 0]}ened which leadeth 
from this town to Pratt's Ferry in Glassenluiry.'' 

OTHER ROADS. 

When the South Meadow Road, west from the old meeting- 
house, was laid out, we do not know. Probal)ly very early. 
<£12 were granted to build a bridge upon it in 1705. 

The New London Turnpike (chartered in 179")) afterwards 
passed over it. This- turnpike follows the main road south 
until near the house of Mr. George Brewer; then it runs 
along the east side of the old country road to the new meeting- 
house site, where it forms the east fork, and from thence is 
the direct road to Glastonbury. 

A petition was sent to the County Court in 1805 to 
straighten the old ferry road from the old meeting-house to 
the ferry, it being represented as " very circuitous." The old 
road turned north just west of Pantry's Pond drain, and after- 
wards west, coming out just north of the house of Mr. 
Janeway Brewer. From thence it cut across the corner 
in front of Mr. Chauncey Lester's house to the ferry road. 
The new lay-out was probably very nearly that of the present 
South Meadow Road, running directly to the river, where two 
ferries were carried on in 1805. 



188 HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 

Assessments were made for a road from T. Wadsworth's to 
T. Keeiiey's in 1798. Of this, and of other roads subsequently 
laid out, the records give us only hints, if they are not alto- 
gether silent about them. We think this road is the one run- 
ning west from near Mr. H. U. Holmes's store in Hockanum. 

Assessments were made the following year for a road from 
Ashbel Hills to Hosea Keeney's. This was for the road 
easterly from the South Middle school-house, although it had 
probably been for years a traveled road. 

In 1802 the road in Podnnk west from Tim: Burnhani's to 
the "new road" was made public. This road was laid out at 
the time of the first settlements by Thomas Burnham, and is 
the cross-road on which Mr. Julius Burnham lives. 

The Hartford and Tolland Turnpike was chartered in 1801. 
It is the road coming from the ferry landing direct to the 
present post-office in the Bigelow Hall building, and passing 
thence over Main street to Burnside avenue, of which it forms 
the left fork, running straight to Buckland's Corners. 

The Middle, or Boston Turnpike, through Burnside and by 
the powder mills, was chartered in 1797. 

The town opposed the opening of turnpike roads, and by its 
efforts succeeded in preventing any toll-gates within its bor- 
ders. The turnpikes have all l)een abandoned to the towns, 
and are now town roads. 

Assessments were made for the Ellington road, so called, 
in 1806. 

The road in Podunk next south of the school-house was 
made a town road in 182o, when it was voted that the road 
from Jacob Williams' house up the hill to the old road 1)0 a 
town road. This road, followed west, descended the meadow 
hill and went straight to Oilman's Landing on the Connecti- 
cut, where vessels unloaded molasses and other commodities 
for the "old red store," which stood just north of Mr. Arthur 
Burnham' s. 

In 1826 the town of East Windsor petitioned for a public 
road down through our meadows to Hartford, but it was not 
granted. 

A road was to be laid out from the mills in Burnside to 



ROADS, BRIDGES, AND PERRIES. 189 

near the house of Neheraiah Smith, on Silver Lane, in 1834; 
but in 1839 a similar vote appears for the lay-out of a road 
from near Timothy Risley's (near Mr. E. C. Brewer's), and 
running east to near the house of Elijah Forbes. This road 
was straightened and made three rods wide in 1872-4. 

From 1836 to 1846 steps were taken to lay out a highway on 
the meadow hill from the Bridge Road to the house of Timothy 
Buckland, and it was finally opened. The first road on the 
upland noi'th and south through our town had once run along 
this hill. 

The road from Hillstown to Eagleville was laid out in 
1844-5. 

The road in the Meadow on which the school-house stands 
was laid out in 1852. 

This year also the road in front of the Arnold place (Mi'. 
Chauncey Lester's) in the Meadow was considered, — whether 
to lay out a new road or to alter the old one. Of the road 
from this place north to the lumber-yard no record has been 
found. It is an old-time road, once the only way from the 
North Meadow Road to the lower ferry landing. 

The road in front of the west row of houses in the South 
Meadow was laid out })j the selectmen, but never became a 
]ml)lic road — Mrs. Arnold refusing to give her land. 

A road was to l)e laid out from Mr. George May's to Eri 
Eldridge's east line in 1853, if it could be done without ex- 
pense to the town. This was on the line of the present 
"• Tobacco avenue," where an ancient right-of-way existed. 
It was laid out two rods wide from Main street east, and then 
north to Silver Lane, in 1863. 

From the east Glastonlniry road to Manchester line a high- 
way was laid out on " the Neck," in 1867. It runs easterly 
})etween the two brooks next north from the eastern terminus 
of Brewer Lane. 

The Mill Road, from Burnside north, was extended toward 
the house of Mr. Thomas Burnham in 1872, coming out on 
the Ellington Road south of the brook. It is three rods 
wide. 

William street, in Burnside, from the Middle Turnpike 



190 HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 

to the Tolland Turnpike, became a town road in 1873. The 
land for it was given by Mr. William Hanmer. 

In regard to some of our roads no record has been found ; 
among these are the Long Hill Road ; East Main street, or 
the East Glastonbury Road, which south of Brewer Lane 
was laid out by the Porters, 4 rods wide, in 1775. Orchard 
street, once called Benjamin's Lane, and later Woodruff's Lane. 
Several private streets have recently been laid out, and l>uild- 
ing lots sold. Most prominent of these are Central avenue, 
laid out by Edward W. Hayden, and running east from near 
the First Congregational Church ; Prospect street, along the 
railroad, by Jas. H. Ranney; and Woodbridge avenue, a little 
north of the latter, by Alfred Woodbridge. 

There are several votes on record (1800 and later), hy 
which the town authorizes its selectmen to maintain ferries 
over the overflowed roads in time of freshets, and to find 
good and sufficient ferrymen, and to fix the fares that may ])e 
charged. In 1818, an ice blockade at the bridge over the 
Great River damaged the roads seriously, and gouged out 
what is known as the " Gulf " in the pastures near the 
meadow hill. Bridges were also carried away at this time 
by freshets in the eastern part of the town, now Manchester. 
An account of the ancient ferry across the Connecticut River 
will be found in a separate chapter. 

METHODS OP REPAIRING ROADS. 

The methods of repairing the roads in town have l)een 
various. Tlie system of district taxation, — most citizens 
working out their highway taxes, — prevailed for many years. 
LTnder this system neighborhood road-making "bees" were 
held ; and sometimes bounties were given to the districts 
having the best roads, which were probably spent for the 
common refreshment of the laborers who won tliem. 

In 1841 the roads were divided into sections and let out to 
the lowest bidders. At present all the roads are under the 
supervision of the selectmen. 



ROADS, BRIDGES, AND PERRIES. 191 

SEWERS. 

A sewer was laid from the railway station on Main street 
to and tlirough Orchard street, to the meadow hill, in 1875. 
Branch sewers drain the adjacent streets. In digging for 
this sewer on Main street, near the head of Orchard street, a 
skeleton was exhumed from about two feet below the surface. 
Probably it was not that of an Indian. Its mystery has 
never been explained. 

A sewer was also laid in Burnside, down the Main street 
there, to the river below the mills. Other smallerse wers were 
put in at this time; one near Mr. Charles M. Bidwell's on 
Burnside avenue, and one near Mr. George E. Pratt's, on 
Silver Lane; and others. 

BY-LAWS de HIGHWAYS AND SIDEWALKS. 

Sundry by-laws for tlie protection of public ways have 
from time to time been passed by the town. One in 1842 
provides a fine of one dollar a load for the removal of earth 
from the highways. 

For the protection of sidewalks against the travel of 
vehicles and beasts, a fine of 'f8 was fixed in 1838. In 1859 
this fine was made two dollars. 

In 1872, for willful damages to fences, gates, etc., a penalty 
of 'f25 was provided. 

In 1842 it was made a penal offence for any person to 
bathe in any stream within one-fourth of a mile from any 
road or dwelling. 

Plank walks were Ituilt on the Hockanum Causeway, and 
over Elm Brook on Burnside avenue in 1876, for the first 
time. 



THE STEEET ELMS. 



CHAPTER XYII. 

In regard to the first planting of tlie noble elm trees which 
are still allowed, in places, to beautify our streets, no exact 
information has been obtained. Mr. George J. Olmsted, 
writing in the Elm Leaf in 1863, inclines to the tradition 
that t]\Q good work was begun by a Mr. Warren, who is said 
to have put out the trees in front of Dr. Williams' house, on 
Main street, and that others followed his example in other 
parts of the street. One pretty well authenticated account 
lias it that a geiieral gathering was held for the purpose, and 
Mr. Timothy Deming says that Mr. Thomas Case told him 
that the young men did the work, and the old men furnished 
the "fixins." When asked what the "fixins" were, he re- 
plied, "rum and sugar." Tradition further says that this 
gathering was held, — probably by a mere coincidence, — on 
the day of the battle of Lexington. Individual enterprise, 
however, did some of the work. The trees in front of the 
house of the writer were set out by his great-grandfather, 
Joseph Goodwin, Sr., (about 1773) when he built the old 
house which until recently stood on this site. Those in front 
of the house of Mr. S. 0. Goodwin were set out by his grand- 
father, Joseph Goodwin, 2d, when he fixed over the old house 
which once stood there for his liome. 

At first there was opposition to the tree-planting. Some 
some said the forest was only just subdued, and why again 
obstruct the highways with trees? But most of our people 
to-day bless the enterprise and taste which gave President 
Monroe occasion to say, when on his tour in 1817 he 
lodged in our town, that our elm trees were the finest he had 
ever seen. 



THK STREET ELMS. 193 

The story that our chns wore sot out l)y English i)risoncrs 
of war, or at the suggestion of the Frcneli wlieu here, we 
regard as untenahlo. It arose from tlie fact that in Soutli 
Windsor work of this kind is said to liave heeu done by the 
Hessian prisoners there, during tlie Revohition. We can not 
ascertain that there were any prisoners quartered in our town. 

Other ancient trees are still standing in town. The large 
oak in front of Mr. W. H. Olmsted's house is said to be an 
aboriginal forest tree, and certaiidy has the appearance of 
being 300 years old. An old oak near the Burnside Bridge, 
a boundary tree in 1090, has been mentioned elsewhei'o. 



25 



HARTFORD FERRY AND BRIDGE. 



CHAPTER XYIIl. 



The ferry over the Connecticut River was first leased to 
Thomas Cadwell in 1681 ; he was to " keepe the ferry for 
seven years," with sufficient boats to carry over horses and 
men, and a " connoe for single persons." The fares were 
regulated by vote of the town : 

" Fare for horse and man Gd. if not of this town. 
Fare for a man .... 2d. if not of this town. 
Fare for a man .... Id. in silver if of this town, 

or 2d. in other pay. 
Fare for horse and man 3d. in silver if of this town, 

or 6d. in other pay. 
And for those of this town whom he carrys over 
after the daylight is shutt in, they shall pay six- 
pence a horse and man in money, or 8d. in other 
jjay." For a single person 2d. or 8d. 
After this lease expired the ferry was leased to Cadwell's 
widow for seven years more. In 1737 the fares were regu- 
lated by the General Assembly. 

The town of Hartford applied to the Assembly in 1728 for 
a charter for the ferry ; and in 1737 the petition was renewed 
for the settlement or grant of the ferry to the toA\'n of Hart- 
ford. 

The money arising from the rent of the ferry was divided 
among the schools to procure firewood in 1748 ; and in 1756 
it was applied to the re})air of the bridge over the Little 
River in Hartford. 

When East Hartford became a town in 1783, it was given 
one-half of the ferry privilege. The new town at first leased 
its privilege, selling the same at vendue for many years. 



HARTFORD FERRY AND BRIDGE. 195 

Two ferries are mentioned in 1S05, — tlie upper and lower. 
So nearly as we can find, one of these crossed to State street 
in Hartford, the other to Ferry street. 

In 1808 the Hartford Bridge Company was incorporated, 
overshadowing- the ancient rights of the people in regard to 
the transportation of passengers across the Connecticut River, 
although its charter was not at first thought to he strongly 
inimical to those rights. Its bridge would provide a way 
across the river at seasons unfavorable to navigation, and the 
charter provided that " nothing in said act shall now or here- 
after injure said [ferry] franchise." But the troubles which 
arose would make a long chapter. We give simply an outline 
of what followed. 

In 1812 the Bridge Company attempted to buy the ferry 
franchise from the town, but were unsuccessful. In 1813 
they petitioned the General Assembly to suppress the ferry. 
A compromise was talked of, and the town voted to relinquish 
the ferry if its inhabitants might pass over the bridge at the 
ferry rates of toll. This vote was, however, rescinded. In 
1818 a new act was passed, suppressing the ferry, and making 
no compensation whatever to the town. This was done on 
condition that the Bridge Company should repair their bridge 
and raise their causeway three feet, and the piers of their 
bridge four feet, and place the draw at the west side of the 
river. These changes were necessary because the bridge had 
l)een Ijadly damaged by the ice and its draw swept away. 
The bridge here referred to was the second one that had been 
built by the company. The first was an uncovered structure, 
hanging low over the river, with the travel on the crown of 
the arches. It was soon swept away. 

This arbitrary action of the General Assembly resulted 
in the erection of the present bridge, and in gaining for the 
company a troublesome opponent in the town of East Hart- 
ford, which did not withhold its appeals to the General Assem- 
bly until that body consented in 1836 to reestablish the ferry 
by a repeal of a part of the act of 1818. The clause com- 
pelling the Bridge Company to keep three boats was also 
repealed, and the towns of Hartford and East Hartford were 



196 H [STORY OP EAST HARTFORD. 

ordered to keep one-half of the Bridge Road in repair from 
Main street to the Tolland Turnpike, with one-half of the 
" dry bridge." This ol)ligation was repealed the next year. 

In 1838 the Company, by its attorney, addressed a letter to 
the town, asking for an amicable and mutually advantageous 
settlement, stating that they thought the bridge adequate to 
the wants of all. The town laid this letter on the table, and 
immediately voted to continue the ferry. A suggestion to 
unite with the town of Hartford in buying all or a majority 
of the stock of the company was not adopted, and in 1839 
tlie town was defending the ferry again before the Legislature, 
but without the aid of Hartford, which had no share in the 
reestablished ferry of 1836. 

This year (1839) the ferry having proved remunerative, 
the town ordered that the surplus fund be loaned at interest. 

In 1841 the Legislature took action unfavorable to the 
town, and the ferry franchise was lost again. The town 
voted to sell its scow and skiff, and to let the horse-boat and 
the horses. The tolls of the Bridge Company were changed 
to the rates followed by the company until 1879. 

The town, though again worsted, was not beaten. It 
appointed a committee to investigate the works of the Bridge 
Company, and to question whether their causeway was half 
bridging as the law demanded, and to prevent their operations 
if they could. 

A fresh appeal for a restoration of the ferry was made in 
1842, which appeal was granted ; and the following year the 
ferry was reestablished and run by the town. 

The Bridge Company, determined to have the matter per- 
manently settled, then carried it to the courts ; the town was 
sued and beaten, but, assisted by many contributions from 
Hartford people, it appealed its case to the Supreme Court of 
the United States. The higher tribunal sustained the deci- 
sion of the State courts. The gist of this decision is, that 
the new grant of the ferry to the town in 1842, by the Gen- 
eral Assembly, was in violation of that body's contract with 
the Bridge Com})any in 1818, which suppressed the ferry. It 
decided that — whatever ancient privilege Hartford may liave 



HARTFORD FERRY AND BRIDGE. 197 

had in the ferry — East Hartford (which alone was party to 
the suit) had no other title than that ac(][uircd by its act of 
incorporation in 1783, which was subject to the pleasure of 
the General Assembly. 

The town, seeing no further hope for its cause, except by 
some dereliction on the part of the Bridge Company, aban- 
doned the field, and passed an indignant resolve to hold this 
" aggressive monopoly to a rigid compliance with its charter." 

The town had to pay the Bridge Company -112,363.36 dam- 
ages awarded by the courts. 

In 1857 the Legislature ordered the Bridge Company to 
raise its causeway, and to add 250 feet to its liridging. 

In 1869 it passed an act authorizing certain towns to pur- 
chase the bridge and causeway. The towns might associate 
themselves for that purpose ; and the mayor and common coun- 
cil of Hartford, and the selectmen of the other towns, were 
to be a board of management ; and the towns might obligate 
themselves for -$150,000, with the right to appeal to the 
Superior Court to fix the pj-ice of the property, if the parties 
could not agree. But nothing has yet come of this. 

In 1878 tlie free bridge question was again agitated, Init 
with small result. The petition was continued to the next 
session of the General Assembly, and the towns authorized 
to report what action they would take in regard to the matter. 



MILITARY AFFAIRS. 

CHAPTER XIX. 

1653-1865. 

The General Court passed the following vote in 1653 : 

" The inhabitants of the East side of the greate River are 
exempted from training with the Towns on the West side, 
this present time, & arc to meete on the East side as Will : 
Hill shall appoint & traine their together, and so to continnue 
on tlieire training dayes nntill the Conrte take furder order : 
& Will : Hill is to returne the names of those tliat doe not 
meete according to appointment, as notis shall be given them." 

From the date of this order until about the year 1850 our 
town had its annual " training days," — days resplendent with 
commissioned tinsel, and yet often mortifying to official dig- 
nity witli their slovenly presentment of a citizen soldiery in 
ragged homespun clothes, and with the most ridiculous sul)- 
stitutes for arms. Indeed, our old militia came to be known 
as the " rag toes," a name said to have been suggested by the 
appearance of our East Hartford company, a member of which, 
from Long Hill, came on parade barefooted and with a band- 
age around his toe. There was a time when training two days 
in each year, with a field muster in the fall, was obligatory ; 
but each man came in the garb he chose, and sliouldered a 
corn-stalk, an inn))rella, or a musket, as pleased him best. 
Many quaint parades of this sort have passed through our 
streets, or tramped unsteadily about the convenient fields near 
by, to the rude inspiration of a drum and fife, and much to 
the delight of the assembled populace. 

The principal training grounds were either upon the 
meadows in the fall, or upon Upper Quag Plains, or upon the 
once open field on the south side of Mill street — the latter con- 



MILITARY AFFAIRS. 



199 



veniently near the old tavern that stood on the corner. The 
charges of the bar of this tavern were bravely met by every 
''■ trainer " who meant to thoroughly do his duty to the usages 
of the time. To drink three times before ten o'clock was a 
common thing on such days, and before night the training- 
was very " general " in its character. Sometimes the com- 
panies took pains to uniform and equij) themselves, and their 
appearance on muster days was tidy and creditable. 

A gazetteer of 1819 says there were four infantry com- 
panies and one artillery company in East Hartford (and what 
is now Manchester) prior to the re-organization of 1816, and 
that afterwards there were two companies of infantry and one 
of artillery. We have been able to trace tlie organization of 
only one company of infantry, and that of the artillery com- 
pany. The past-commanders of what was in 1824 the 4th 
Company, 1st Regiment Connecticut Infantry, as copied from 
a list found among the })apers of Gen. 8. L. Pitkin, and com- 
pleted, so far as possible, by the writer, are as follows : 



Hon. Ozias Pitkin. 
Gov' William Pitkin. 
Col. Joseph Pitkiu, 1738. 
Col. John Pitkin. 
Hon. William Pitkin. 
Russell Woodbridge, 1773. 
-Jonathan Roberts, 1786. 

(Capt. of Hookanum Co). 
Col. Ashbel Stanley. 
Joseph Carver, 1793. 
Levi Goodwin. 
Martin Pitkin, 1800. 
John Pitkin, Jr., 1802-4. 
Timothy Forbes ? 
Amos Pasko, 1805. 
John Spencer, Jr., 1806-9. 
Martin Stanley, 1810-13. 
Joseph Goodwin, 1814-16. 
Moses Ensign, Jr. 

(Formerly Capt. H'kanum Co) 



Col. George Pitkin. 
Elisha Pitkin, 1776. 
Zebulon Bidwell. 

(Killed near Saratoga, 1777). 
Stephen Roberts. 
John Pitkin, Jr., 1786. 
Joseph P. Jones, 1817-19. 
Eli Olmsted, 1820-3. 
Samuel L. Pitkin, 1823-5. 
Samuel Williams, 1825-8. 
Elisha Risley, 1828-9. 
Charles Forbes, 1830-1. 
George Barber, 1832-3. 
Thomas C. Franklin, 1834-5. 
Samuel Brewer, Jr., 1836-8. 
Ashbel Brewer, 1839-41. 
Sylvester Wiley, 1842. 
S. A. Brewer, 1843-5. 
Ira Anderson, 1846-7. 
James Spencer, 1848. 



This company was at first attached to the 19th Regiment, 
and remained a part of that regiment until the re-organization 



200 HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 

of 1816, when it was attached to the 1st Regiment. In 1830 
it was returned as tlie 3d Company of the 25th Regiment, and 
so continued until 1848, when it appears as the 1st Regiment 
" riflemen." 

A company was kept up in Manchester from 1848 to 18r)5. 
In 1862 there were no regiments organized in the State ; a 
few scattered companies only retained their organization. 

Some of the officers of our East Hartford company were 
promoted to higher stations, and a number of regimental 
officers were chosen from our town. This is indicated by the 
titles appended to some of the names in the foregoing list. 

Jonathan Wells, of Hockanum, an officer of the Revolution, 
was lieutenant-colonel of the 19th Conn. Regt. in 1786 ; and 
Dr. Timothy Hall, also of Hockanum, was surgeon of that 
regiment. 

Shubael Griswold was lieutenant-colonel of the same regi- 
ment in 1800, and for several years thereafter. He was after- 
wards a general, as his grave-stone indicates. 

•Samuel Leonard Pitkin was lieutenant-colonel of the 25th 
Regiment in 1829, and colonel of the same from 1830 to 1835. 
He was appointed brigadier-general (1st Brigade) in 1835, 
and held that office for two years. He then became major- 
general of the 1st Division (1st and 2d Brigades) in 1837, and 
continued in office until 1839, when he became adjutant-gen- 
eral, an office to which he was re-appointed in 1840. 

Elihu Geer, of our town, was colonel of the 1st Regiment, 
1850-2. He afterwards held the office of brigadier-general 
from 1853 to '62. 

Mr. Thomas Dowd was paymaster of the 1st Regiment in 
1854. 

Mr. Heman A. Tyler has held various offices in the present 
1st Regiment, and in 1878 held the office of colonel in that 
regiment. 

With the adoption of the commutation system the old pic- 
turesque training days passed away for ever, and only the 
quaint traditions of their absurdities remain. Some of the 
votes on record concerning the old militia organizations are 
curious. For instance, in 1701 the town of Hartford voted 



MILITARY AFFAIRS. 201 

that 40s. ill the hands of the selectmen resulting from the sale 
of a town bull be expended for colors for the east side com- 
pany. A standard held by our company was destroyed in 
1822 ; it was one that had been entrusted to it l»y a member, 
and a certificate signed by the officers, and found among Gen. 
Pitkin's papers, was issued to set at rest certain malicious 
rumors regarding it, whatever they may have been. 

THE ARTILLERY COMPANY. 

An institution of the past was the old artillery company, 
for about twenty years attached to the 19th Regiment, and 
known as the Matross Company. It was organized by Elisha 
Pitkin, Esq., in 1797. Mr. Pitkin had the two cannons, — a 
four-pound and a six-i)Ound brass piece, — cast at his mills at 
the Forge, Seth Clark making the molds, and the machinery 
to bore them out. They were mounted on carriages, and made 
a very formidable appearance on parade. The uniform of the 
members of this company consisted of a leathern cap, with a 
white feather and gilt cord and buttons ; blue coat and panta- 
loons, with gilt cord and buttons, and a yellow sword-belt. 
The guns were stored for a long time in the old Merrow barn, 
which stood on the lot just south of Mr. Samuel G. Phelps' 
house. Afterwards they were stored in Scotland at Ebenczer 
Kimball's. One of them was split and torn from its trunnions 
while firing an election salute in Hillstown. Afterwards some 
enterprising person sold them both to a peddler for old brass, 
and the company obtained the use of a State piece — a six- 
pounder-^giving bonds for its safe return. 

This company was known as a matross company until 1812, 
when it was called the artillery company, being at this time 
attached to the 19th Regiment, infantry. In 1817 it was 
made the 3d Company in the 2d Regiment of light artillery. 
In 1825 it was called the 1st Company: it ceased to exist in 
1853. Its commanders were : 



26 



202 



HISTORY OP EAST HARTFORD. 



George Pitkin, Jr., 1797-8. 

Maj. Samuel Pitkin, 1800-3. 

John Sage, 1803. 

John Kennedy, 1805-11. 

Nathan Pitkin, 1813. 

Amherst Reynolds, 1813-15. 

Col. Giles Olmsted, 1816. 

William Jones, 1817. 

Col. Aaron F. Ohnsted, 1819. 



William Porter, 1830. 
Col. Solomon Olmsted, 1831-5. 
Edward P. Harrington, 183(5. 
Col. Charles H. Olmsted, 1836-81. 
Col. N. W. Spencer, 1838. 
William C. Cowles, 1839-41. 
Horace Shipman, 1843-3. 
EbenezerP. Kimball, 1844-7. 
Martin O. Hills, 1848-53. 



Some of these captains and lieutenants were promoted to 
higher offices, as their regimental titles indicate. Col. Giles 
Olmsted was major in 1818, and Joy H. Fairchild chaplain. 
Solomon Olmsted was major in 1826, and colonel in 1829-30. 
Andrew K. Goodwin was paymaster in 1837. 

Of the ahsurdities and dissipations of the old field days of 
the militia much has been written, and, grotesquely as such 
scenes are usually painted, they are hardly exaggerated. 
Yet in its later days decency and order were evolved out of 
the crude system, and tales are told of grand field days, like 
that in our meadows in 1843, when General Pratt reviewed 
the militia of the State in the presence of Gen. "Tecumseh" 
Johnson, of Indian-fighting fame. That day a row of tents 
stretched far away up the Itank of the Connecticut, and thou- 
sands of people assembled to hear the inspiriting music, and to 
watch the evolutions of the troops. General Johnson was the 
guest of the day, and the Hartford Light Guard waited u]ion 
him at his tent, as his body guard. Jones' tavern (now 
Morse's Hotel) was then the great rendezvous of the officers 
and their aids, and to its portal, now and then, would dash 
up some gilded son of honor, toss his rein to a bystander, 
and hasten in to communicate with his associate officers, or 
for some other purpose as mysterious to the boys outside. 
Gen. Pratt himself, it is said, deigned to reign up here and 
moisten his throat, — dry with the utterance of magnificent 
commands. Ah, we may well sigh for the departed splendor 
of those days! 



MILITARY AFFAIRS. 



203 



THE WAR OF 1812. 

Our part in the Revolution has been treated in another 
chapter. The war of 1812, so far as we know, called very 
few of our citizens beyond the borders of our State, excepting 
such as went upon adventurous cruises upon the seas. There 
was a draft of eight or nine persons from our town in 1813, 
to serve against the enemy, and the whole of our artillery 
company was called into service to assist in manning the for- 
tifications at New London and on the east side of the Thames. 
The names of the infantry recruits we have been unable to 
ascertain. A pay-roll of the artillery company, preserved in 
the comptroller's office, shows the following names : 

Pay-roll of Capt. Amherst Reynolds' comi)any, showing the 
amount they received from the State in addition to the United 
States pay : — 



Amherst Rejmolds, capttiiii. 

Giles Olmsted, 1st lieut. 
Sergeants : 

Daniel Easton, 

Solomon Silencer, 

Timothy Buckland. 
Corporals : 

Augustus Stoughton, 

Moses Ensign, Jr. 
Musicians : 

Timothy Demiug (titer), 

Sylvester Treat, 

Sala J. Rathl.un (titer), 

Jemison Cady. 
Matrass : 

Edward Warren, 

Anson Cowles, 

John Brej\'er, 



Matross : 

Nehemiah Abbey, Jr., 
James Warren, 
Leonard Fox, 
David Keney, .Jr., 
Ephraim Warfield, 
Marvin Evans, 
Reul)en Stedman, 
William Baker, 
Orrin Evins, 
John O. Slater, 
Leonard Hills, 
Erastus Rathbun, 
David Brainard, 
Ebenezer Gr. Marble, 
Stephen Gleason, 
Harvey Risley, 
Lewis Smith. 



The commencement of this pay-roll was Aug. 3, 1813, and 
it ended Sept. 16, 1813, — covering a period of one month and 
fifteen days. It shows only the amount of compensation 
given by the State al)ove what was paid by the United States 
government. The captain and first lieutenant got nothing; 
the sergeants and corporals one dollar per month, each 
receiving $1.50. Musicians and privates received two dollars 



204 HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 

per month, each man receiving $3.00. The total amount i)aid 
to tlic men was -^75. 79, some liavinj^- served only a part of the 
time. 

Mr. Timothy Deming, one of the last survivors of this com- 
})any, })lcasantly rememliered his visit to the sea-shore, and 
said they had no arduous service, although some shots were 
exchanged with the British men-of-war which came in sight. 
They were on the Groton side of the Thames. Among other 
incidents of their service we have been told how a visitor at 
the fort was knocked down by a passing ball. He afterwards 
unearthed the missile, and was given a bottle of wine for it by 
the officers, who sent it immediately back to the enemy. 
Some of the men fired their muskets at the enemy, wishing at 
least to have something to tell the people at home. 

"Our old friend," Horace Risley, was in the army on the 
northern border, but nothing of his experience could be 
elicited. It is said he left the army rather irregularly, and 
went among the Indians of his own accord. When approached 
on this topic he was darkly reticent, long after any need of 
concealment remained, it having become a habit with him. 

Upon the ocean, some of our citizens assisted the common 
cause by embarking in privateering enterprises. Two genera- 
tions ago, and earlier, there were many seafaring men among 
our people — the West India trade then coming directly to 
Hartford. Many horses and mules, etc., were shipped hence, — 
Col. George Pitkin making a business of buying. 

Of the exploits of these during the War of 1812, we have 
been able to gather little information. Mr. Ozias Roberts, 
afterwards captain of merchantmen, went privateering under 
Capt. Josiah Griswold of Wethersfield, in the privateer 
'' Blockade." This vessel was fitted out on the C,onnecticut 
River, and was owned by Thomas Belden and others. It 
carried six guns. After cruising for some time with little 
success, it was captured by a brig of war and taken to the 
Bermudas, and the crew were confined on a prison ship. Mr. 
Roberts and Dr. Wm. Cooley, of Manchester, surgeon, man- 
aged to escape, and were secreted by a negro until they found 
opportunity to return home. 



MILITARY AFFAIRS. 205 

Dr. Samuel Spring was in early life a merchant, and during- 
the War of 1812 was in command of one of his own vessels, 
and was captured off the entrance of Chesapeake Bay, ])y the 
frigate Laurustinus. His pilot, crew, and cargo were taken 
off, and his vessel burned. On ))oard the frigate Mr. Spring, 
by his cheerful, gentlemanly ways, soon won the favor of his 
captors, and was allowed to eat at their table, where his own 
provisions were generously served. The frigate pursued a 
French letter-of-marque out to sea, but did not overtake it. 
Returning, they bore down upon a vessel which Mr. Spring- 
recognized as from Newburyport, Capt. John Caldwell master. 
He pleaded that his old townsman be allowed to go on his 
way unharmed, and for some reason was successful. His 
own freedom was also given him, and he sailed with Caldwell 
to Charleston, S. C. Thence he returned home, and ventured 
on another voyage. He reached Charleston, when an embargo 
was declared, and he returned home by stages. 

The effect of the draft of 1813 was to wonderfully recruit 
the home militia — the governor, Hon. John Cotton Smith, 
having announced that none of the State troops were liable 
to the draft. We are told that nearly every man in our town 
became an active militia-man. There was an unusual muster 
and parade that fall near the old meeting-house. The i)arade 
was conducted on the green just east of it. Later, there 
were refreshments served in the meeting-house, and " some- 
thing else," that was not kept in sight. Some drank till they 
were tipsy, and then tlirew cheese all al)out in the sacred 
place, and several good citizens, it is said, slept awhile, hidden 
away in the singers' seats. These afterwards stoutly laid the 
trouble to the cheese they had eaten. 

WAR OF THE REBELLION. 

In treating of events so recent as those of the war of 
1861, it has been thought best to confine our record to the 
vote books of the town. Of the names and deeds of our 
citizens who took part in the struggle to preserve our nation, 
various records exist, among which is the printed catalogue 
of Connecticut Volunteers, and the " Soldiers Record," 1861 



206 HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 

to I860, ill the town clerk's office. From tliese a list of our 
volunteers has been taken and appended to this chapter. 

The first meeting of the toAvn to provide for the equipment 
of volunteers, and for the support of their families, was held 
April 29, 1861. A spirit of eager patriotism is evident in 
the votes passed at this meeting ; but under different require- 
ments of the general government it became necessary to 
rescind most of them in regard to bounties, etc. 

In July, 1862, a bounty of #100 was voted to three years' 
men, and, later, the same was extended to nine months' men, 
with $25 additional. Provision was made for the families of 
volunteers, and, in September, the selectmen were able to 
declare the quota full without resort to a draft. 

In April, 1863, the town voted to issue bonds, not to exceed 
(|15,000, to cover its indebtedness and its liabilities; and 
$15,000 was appropriated the following August to enable a 
committee to relieve the drafted men according to their cir- 
cumstances, — no one to receive over -foOO. The taxes of 
volunteers and of drafted men were abated while tliey con- 
tinued in the service. 

The call of the President for 500,000 additional men was 
considered in July, 1864. A bounty of #200 was voted to 
every man who had or should enlist personally or by substitute 
so as to count on the quota under this call. In September 
i'SOO additional bounty was voted to volunteers, or to persons 
furnishing substitutes, provided no man should I'cceive within 
#200 of what he actually paid. 

This year the town voted to issue bonds to the further 
amount of f35,000. Also to pay the mother or guardian of 
each child of every soldier who died in the service the sum of 
lifty dollars for one year. January 9, lS65, a substitute was 
to be furnished for every man who paid the selectmen #200. 

The number of men who enlisted, or for whom substitutes 
Avcre })rocured, with the amount of bounties and commutation 
money paid, arc given below. They are taken from the " war 
book" kept by the selectmen, and are reasonably accurate — 
some omissions in the record being su})plicd by a computation 
of averao'es. 



MILITARY AFFAIRS, 207 

Under the first bounty of |10, with -flO a month 
pay from the town, there enlisted ten men, to whom 
was paid #545 

Under call of July 5, 1862, for 400,000 men, there 
enlisted 139 men, who received about -flOO each 
(some amounts not carried out), .... 13,900 

Under call of Aug. 4, 1863, for 800,000 men for 
nine months' service, there enlisted 59 men, to wliom 
was paid about -f] 25 each 5,800 

Paid comnnitation money on draft of Aug., 1863, 
24 men, })artly paid by the men and partly by the 
town, in varying }>roportions, ..... 7,200 

Under draft of July, 1S64, by vote of Sept. 21st, 
each man paid 1200, the town paid for each |300 
—for 59 men, 27,555 

Under vote of January 9, 1865, 9 men had fur- 
nished substitutes and received from -f 150 to #200 
from the town, ....... 1,585 

Under the same vote there "were 11 men who re- 
ceived about #200 each from the town, and who 
l)aid #200 each, beside, for substitutes . . . 4,450 

Making a total of 311 men on all calls, and a total 
expenditure of money by individuals and by the 
town for recruits, ....... 61,035 

Seventy families of soldiers drew . . 9,698 

Making a total expenditure, by individuals aud by 
the town, of . . . . " . . . ". #70,733 

War dcl)t bonds were issued by the town to the 
amount of ....... . #41,750 

Of which there remains unpaid in 1878, . . 9,000 

The "Soldiers' Record" in the town clerk's office gives the 
number of men who enlisted from this town voluntarily as 
210 ; and gives only 51 men as drafted or furnishing substi- 
tutes, a total of 261 men in all. The names of the substi- 
tutes of many who paid commutation money arc not entered 
in this record, and the names of reenlisted men are entered 
but once, which may account for the discrepancy. 

A fine monument was erected in the Center Burying 



208 



HISTORY OP EAST HARTFORD. 



Ground in 1868 (mainly by the aid of voluntary subscri}> 
tions) to the memory of those soldiers who died in the war, 
and annual memorial services are held at its base on " deco- 
ration" or "memorial day," the town giving one hundred 
dollars each year to assist the surviving comrades in procur- 
ing music, and in meeting the expenses of the occasion. On 
that day, while the band plays a dirge at the monument, the 
veterans file slowly away along the avenues of the burying 
ground, laying flowers upon the graves of all their old associ- 
ates in arms who have gone to rest. Usually there is an 
address delivered afterward, and a short march upon the 
street, followed by a table of refreshments at Elm Hall. 



LIST OF VOLUNTEERS FROM EAST HARTFORD, 1861-1865, 

With Name of Connecticut Begiments to which they were nttached (see 

Catalogue Conn. Volunteers). Those marhed with (*) are oti 

the Soldier's''. Monument. 



Aldenhofeu, .Joseph, 5th, 

* Allen, .John F., lOtli, 

Died at Morris Isl., S. C, Oct., 'G3, 
Amidou, Chas. D., Corp. 21st, 
Arnold, John F., 8th Missouri, 
Bailey, Josiah B., 1st Art., 
Burnham, Spencer H., 7th, 

Wounded May 14, 1864, 
Bond, Jose])!! L., 7th, 
Bidwell, Julius, 1st Cav., 
Bidwell, William E., 16th, 
Bidwell, Henry E., 12th, 
Bantly, Anton, 6th, 
Bautly, Francis, 6th, 

Died at Andersonville Aug., '64. 
Brewer, John M., 16th, 
Brewer, William H., 21st, 
Brewer, Ralph C, 21st, 

* Brewer, George E., 21st, 

Died at Andersonville June, '64, 

* Brewer, Jason F., 21st, 

Wounded Pet'sb'g, died Sept., '66, 

* Button, Leroy M., 21st, 

Killed at Petersb'g July 30, '64, 



Button, Leander W., 2r)th, 
Button, Jerome K., 25th, 

* Button, William, 25th, 

Died April, '63, of wounds rec'd 
at Irish Bend. 
Brogator, Antonio V., 10th, 
Barnum, Phineas, 11th, 

Wounded May 16, 1864, 
Best, Valentine, musician, 11th, 
Bennett, Edwin, 11th, 

Wounded May 16, 1864, 
Bissell, Harrison H., 21st, 
Bryant, William B., Corp., 21st, 
Barnard, Daniel B., 25th, 
Bliss, Walter J., 25th, 
Brown, Jacob C. (col'd), 29th, 
Cowles, William J., 1st Art., 
Cowles, Henry S., Corp., 1st Art, 

* Cowles, J. Francis, Corp., 21st, 

Died Aug., '64, of wounds rec'd 
at Cold Harbor, 
Champlin, Henry A., 7th, 
Corbett, Daniel, 10th, 
Carlin, John, 12th, 



MTIJTARY AFFAIRS. 



209 



Cleary, Jolm. lOtli, 

Wounded Sept. 2, 18(52, 
Currin, Micluiel, 20tli, 
Craw, Cliarles, 21st, 
Carter, A. Russell, 21st, 
Cleveland, John E., 21st, 
Case, Andrew A., Corp., 21st, 
Casey, Chester, 25th, 

* Carroll, John F., Sergt., 21th, 

Killed at Port Hudson, IMav, '(>;'., 

Chalker, Daniel B., 25th, 

Cotton, Leander, Corp., 21st, 

Cadwcll, George, 11th, 

Dailey, Bartholomew, 11th, 

Dealing, Henry O., 13th, 

Douglas, William W., 21st, 

Erving, Waldo, 6th, 

Elmer, Elizur B., 1:1th, 

Edwards, William, IBtli, 

Eagan, Thomas, 24th, 

Easton, Arago, Corp., lUh, 

Flynn, Andrew, 

Fitch, Charles J., 1st Cav., 

*Forl)es, Andrew J., 10th, 

Killed Aug. 16, '64, at Sharps!) g-, 

Forbes, Charles, 21st, 

Forbes, Monroe, 21st, 
. Forbes, George H., 25th, 
' Forbes, Jolin W., N. J. Reg't, 

* Flint, Alvin, 21st, 

Died in service, 1863, 

* Flint, Alvin, Jr., 11th, 

Killed at Antietam, Md., Sep., '62, 

* Flint, George B., 21st, 

Died at Falmouth, Va., Jan., '63, 
Frome, Otto, 21st, 
Feruer, William, 22d, 
Francis, George (col'd), 29tli, 

* Francis, Samuel W. (col'd), 30th, 

Died in hospital, 
Griswold, John D., 1st Art., 
Grassell, George A., 21st, 
Garrison, Isaac, 21st, 
Griswold, George T., 21st, 



Goodwin, George H., Sergt., 25th, 
Afterwjirds Quarter-Master 20th, 
Graham, Francis A., 25th, 
Holmes, Theo. J., Chap., 1st Cav., 
Hills, Richard M., 1st Cav., 
Hills, Ferdinand, 25th, 
Hills, Chester M., 25th, 
Hills, John B., 25th, 
Hughs, Lewis G., Corp., Isf Arl., 
Harding, Thomas IT., 1st Art., 
Haley, John, 1st Art., 
Haling, William H., 25th, 
Handel, Christian, 6th, 
lloUister, V/illiam G., 7th, 
Ilollister, Morgan, 21st, 
Harris, Henry W., 8th, 
House, Marshall D., 16th, 
House, Elisha E., 25th, 
Hawkins, Daniel S., 21st, 
Hayden, Edward W., N. Y. 61st, 
Harmau, Adamson J., 251 h, 
Jones, Thomas, 1st Cav., 
Jackson, Calvin, 7th, 

Captured June 2, 1864, 
Jordan, Joseph, Capt., 21st, 
.Jiidson, Albert A., 21st, 
James, Thomas, 10th, 
Kenney, Patrick, 1st Cav., 
Kramar, Frederick, 1st Art., 
Kramar, Ferdinand, 25th, 
Kimball, Samuel M., 21st, 
Kimball, Clarence, 21st, 
Kostenbader, John, 22d, 
Lyman, William C, 1st Cav., 
Lathrop, Frederick O., 6th, 
* Lucas, Clinton G., 7th, 

Killed Oct.7, '64, near Deep Bot'm, 
Long, Julius F., 13th, 
Luce, Henry B., Corp., 21st, 
Luce, Otis F., 21st, 
Lord, Walter T., 25th, 
Lathrop, Charles W., 25tli, 
Lewis, David, 25th, 
Lewis, William J. (col'd), 29th, 



210 



HISTORY OP EAST HARTFORD. 



Loomis, Joel A., 
Mc Williams, Henry, 1st Cav., 
McCormick, John, 2d, 
McGrath, Ileniy, lltli, 
McT.elland, Matthew, 11th, 
McLclland, Williani J., 21st, 
McLelland, Robert, 31st, 
MclVrann, Miles, 24th, 
Moore, Thomas, 1st (?av., 
Moore, Arthur P., 25th, 
Moran, Michael, 25th, 
Moldaner, Valentine, 27th, 
Mattler, Abrani, 12th, 

Died Aug. 26, 1802, in La., 
Maudeville, Frederick G., lOth, 
*Munsell, William S., 21st, 

Killed near Drury's Bl'tf May, '64, 
Miller, Titus (col'd), 29th, 
Norton, James, 15th, 
Newberry, Samuel, 21st, 
Olmsted, Arthur G., Sergt., 21st, 
Olmsted, Horace B., Lieut., 25th, 

* Olmsted, Edgar C, 13th, 

Died Feb. 2, 1865, 

* Olmsted, Evelyn H., 21st, 

Died Dec, 1862, 
Olmsted, Elihu, 21st, 
01msted,Conrad S., 3d U.S. Regulars, 
Pfeiffer, Ortmar, 6th, 

Wounded July 18, 1863, 

* Pratt, Samuel A., 7th, 

Died Oct., '62, at Hilton Head, 
Pratt, Dodridgc, 12th, 
Parker, John B., 11th, 
Parsons, Norman D., 21st, 
Peaslee, Loverin, 12th, 
Porter, A. Leroy, 20th, 
Porter, Nelson L., 21st, 
Proctor, Jared, 21st, 
Pearl, Jared, Jr., 21st, 
Persons, Henry S., 25th, 
Quimby, Daniel W., 21st, 
Roberts, Richard W., 1st, 

Afterwards Capt. 25th, 

* Roberts, Edmund M. B., 1st r>at'y. 

Died June 24, 1862, at r.eau tort. 



Roberts, Hamlet F., Lieut., 21st, 
Roberts, Joseph, 21st, 
Riley, William E., Capt., 1st Cav.. 
Riley, Edmund D., 1st Art., 
Rockwell, Lester A., 1st Cav., 

Captured March, 1865, 
Reynolds, Peter, 1st Cav., 
Risley, Sanford L., 1st Art.., 
Risley, Julius A., 21st, 
Risley, Eugene, 25th, 
Risley, diaries O., 25th, 
Robinson, John, 5th, 
Reid, Robert K., 7th, 

Wounded. 
Reid, William, 7th, 

Wounded May 4, '64. 
Rowell, George D., Corp., 21st, 
Ruotr, George, 22d, 
Rock, John, 24th, 
Ryan, Charles H., 2d Art., 

Wounded Sept. 19, '64. 
Saunders, Thomas, 1st Cav., 
Skinner, Hervey D., 1st Bat'y, 
Symonds, Charles A., 1st Art., 
Symonds, Sylvester, 25th, 
Symington, John, 1st Art., 
Stowell, George, 1st Art., 
Schoemehl, Carl, 1st Art., 
Smith, Jason, 25th, 
Smith, Richard, 25th, 
Scarborough, John W., 5th, 

Supposed killed May, '64. 
Stewart, James E., 7th, 
Stewart, Robert, 10th, 
Stewart, David (col'd), 29tli, 
Sloan, Adrian P., 7th, 
Shields, Peter, 10th, 

Killed in action Aug. 14, '64. 
Speirs, Robert, 16th, 

Wounded. 
Spatlbrd, George L., 21st, 
Shej)ard, Jason J., 21st, 
Stearns, Oliver E., 21st, 

Died at Mansfield, Conn., Sej)t.'64. 
Schmidt, Ferdinand, 22d, 
Schoonhann, Casper, 22d, 



MILITARY AFFAIRS. 



211 



Sweeney, Christopher, 24th, 
Strickhind, William W., 25th, 
Snow, Samuel A., 21st, 

* Thomas, George D., 10th, [ston. 

Died Dec. 7, '62, ofw'nds at King- 
Tremer, Joseph, 10th, 
Taylor, Charles G., 11th, 
Tripp, Samuel N., 12th, 
Turner, Jacob A., Sergt., 25th, 
Talcott, Daniel L. (mus'n), 25th, 

* Vibert, Geo. N., Harris Light Cav., 

Died Nov. '62. 
Vibert, Edward, 1st Cav., 

The following are names of 
furnished by drafted men : 

Brown, Edward, 5th, 
Brown, Henry, 12th, 
Bowen, Charles A., 5th, 
Burke, Charles, 8th, 
Burke, Michael, 15th, 
Carpenter, Daniel G., 18th, 
Clark, Benjamin, 12th, 

Died at Hilton Head July, '65. 
Dignan, John T., 1st Art., 
Dallye, Ernest, 13th, 
Donnelly, James, 13th, 
Erving, James, 1st Art., 
Elmer, George, 13th, 
Faraden, Frank, 7th, 

Wounded Oct. 13, '64. 
Freeman, George (col'd), 29th, 
Gordon, James, 1st Art., 
Gaynor, Thomas S., 13th, 
Howard, Charles H., lOtli, i'65. 

Died at Point of Rocks, \';i., .Ian. 
Howard, Chai'les, 1st Art., 
i lanley, John, 1st Art., 
Harris, George, 6th, 
Harris, James, 12th, 
Harper, Henry, 13th, 
Hanly, John, 20th, 
Hutton, Andrew, 13th, 
Jones, Charles, 20th, 
Jones, Henry F., 5th, 
Jones, Thomas, 1st Art., 



Vibert, Oscar B., 7th, 
Vaughn, George L., 21st, 
Wadsworth, "William, 11th, 
Wolfer, Simeon, 6th, 
Wakelield, Elhanan, 21st, 
Wilcox, Benjamin F., Corp., 25th, 
Wright, Henry, 21st, 

* Wright, Francis II., 16th, 
Died at Falmouth, Jan. '63. 

* Warren, Marshall E.,25th Mass., 

Died at Chesap'ke Hosp., Oct. '64. 

* Woehrle, Charles A., 7th, ['64. 

Died at Ft. Trumbull, Conn., Feb. 

drafted men and of substitutes 



Johnson, Charles, 1st Art., 
Keleher, John, 13th, 
King, William, 20th, 
Larave, Peter, 7th, 
Lenthard, Carl F., 8th, 

Killed May, '64, at Petersburg. 
Mauyote, Francis, 5th, 
Martinneu, Gilbert, 7th, 
Myer, Emil, 12th, 
McGregor, Peter, 13th, 
Newton, Horace, 13th, 
O'Brien, John, 12th, 
Pombriand, Paul, 7th, 
Reese, John, 1st Art., 
Russell, Robert E., 12th, 
Sullivan, Owen, 12th, 
Sullivan, Patrick, 13th, 
Sullivan, John, 13th, 
Singer, Martin, 12th, 
Stino, William, 13th, 
Smith, John. 20th, 
Spruce, Charles (col'd), 24>th, 
Shanly, William, 
Smith, Franklin, 1st Art., 
Tracy, James, 6th, 
Tarrac, Caraile, lOtli, 
Whitney, Joseph D., 13th, 
Willis, James A., 13th, 
And 2:)robably others. 



OLD HOUSES 



CHAPTER XX. 



From the first inception of the purpose to study the history 
of our town we have had in view a chapter which shonhl 
describe the early homes of our ancestors ; hut in its prepara- 
tion we liave met with many dilhculties, the records being no 
certain guides, and have reached no complete knowledge at 
last. We give nevertheless what fragmentary information we 
have gathered, hoping some time to supplement it with further 
facts. 

The earliest houses built by the first settlers were small, 
and usually covered with a thatch of bark, reeds, or straw. 
The combustible nature of their material made fires frequent. 
One of the early votes of the town of Hartford required each 
house to have a " ladder or tree," to reach within two feet of 
the roof. " Chimney-lookers" or viewers, were regularly ap- 
pointed, and strict orders were passed that chimneys should be 
frequently burned out. Many years later (1784) we find 
smokes (spelled "smoaks"), afterwards called fire-places, 
subject to taxation. They were classed as first, second, third, 
and fourth rate smokes. 

Typical old-fashioned houses were built later, low ujtoii the 
ground, with two large rooms and an immense central chim- 
ney l)etween them ; a low sloping roof at the rear, called a 
lean-to, usually covered the kitchen and pantry and bed-room. 
These houses stood length-wise to the street, with a shallow 
front yard, or sometimes none at all. Usually the cellar was 
dug under the north rooms only. A long well-sweep showed 
over the roof at the rear of the house. Often a gambrel roof 
shut steeply down over the front of the house, through which 
protruded dormer windows, like great blinking frog's eyes. 



OLD HOUyES. 213 

The vast cliiinncy afforded fire-places in all the lower rooms 
and often in each of the chambers. Occasionally these were 
set at an angle in the corner of the room with pleasant effect. 
Below they were furnished with cranes and pot-hooks and 
extension hangers to hold the immense kettles for trying lard, 
or melting tallow for candles, or for culinary operations ; and 
there were ovens and ash-holes in the lower part of the chim- 
ney, and frequently a blackened smoke-closet, for curing meat, 
in the chambers or the attic. Mysterious cupboards and 
caverns have been found in them also, when taken down, which 
no one could explain. In front of the chimney was usually a 
small hall-way with a stair-case ascending sharply by three 
cramped angles to the landing directly overhead. The outer 
door of the house was oftcnest a double one, sometimes in up- 
riglit sections, sometimes divided horizontally, that the upper 
half might be opened to admit the light and air. When the 
sections were upright they were often pierced near the top by 
queer little eye-like holes for lighting tlie hall. The handle 
and knocker of the door were of elaborate pattern ; and gen- 
erally a wooden cornice or pattern of scroll work surmounted 
the portal, with something of quaint ginger-bread or honey- 
combed ornamentation under the heavy eaves. Larger houses 
were built two stories high beside the great gambrel roof, 
which covered a cai)acious garret, as in Dr. Williams' house, 
elsewhere described. 

The rooms of the houses were ceiled across the chimney 
front with wide panels of yellow pine, not always painted. 
The corner posts and ceiling-beams were cased and sometimes 
heavily molded. The frames of these old houses were pro- 
digiously strong, and covered with oak })lanking, upon the 
(jutside of which the clapboards were nailed, and the lath and 
plastering were placed directly upon them within. The walls 
were often not more than three inches thick. 

Of the earliest houses in town, we have already mentioned 
that of William Pitkin (1661), which stood on the meadow- 
bank near the railroad. This was fortified against the 
Indians. His son, William, built about twenty-five rods from 
Main street, a little southwest of the house of the late Capt. 
John Pitkin. 



214 HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 

^VilUimi IJills, one tradition has it, settled about eiglity 
rods south of Mr. Overton's, on Tobacco avenue, before 1653. 
Anotlier says his house stood a little way north of the old 
llockanum school site. The latter seems most probable, 
though he may have occupied both. 

Tliomas Burnham lived just across the street from Mr. 
Julius Burnham's present residence, settling here about 1G59. 
His house is described elsewhere. The house occupied by 
Mr. Samuel P. Burnham is the oldest Burnham house now 
standing. Here lived Joshua Burnham, cashier of the U. S. 
Bank, at Hartford. The old house on the hill, opposite Mr. 
N. L. Anderson's, was once occupied by Cornelius Burnham, 
perhaps as early as 1759. Phineas Burnham lived in the old 
house which gave place to Mr. Z. Arthur Burnham's resi- 
dence (once Mr. W. Alexander's). 

Edwards Andrews lived on "Pigeon Hill," just east of 
Dowd's Grove, near Willow Brook, before 1679. This prop- 
erty afterwards went, by marriage, to the Williams family, 
and their descendants have lived in this neighborhood ever 
since. 

The Treats also acquired land near here, by marriage, and 
lived near the meadow hill in Dowd's Grove. Traces of their 
house cellars still remain. 

Matthias Treat lived later in the little old house that lately 
went to ruin on T()l)acco avenue, near Main street. It was a 
quaint cabin, al)Out half its space being tilled by a great clay- 
built chimney. 

South of Colt's Ferry landing are sites of old houses, — the 
"Perkins place," Daniel Brewer's, and others of later date. 

John Crow l>uilt early, near the Ozias Roberts homestead, 
iiiid an old well, long disused, and covered by a stone, exists 
there, with currant bushes growing north of the barn. Crow 
owned much land, his lot extending north to the neighbor- 
hood of "Smith's Lane," and south across the Hockanum, 
and eastward to the three mile's end. Crow Hill, in the river 
swamp, north of Mr. Frank Roberts' house, was named after 
him. His house site is still called by some of the older 
people the Eddy lot — why, we do n(jt know. 



OLD HOUSES. 215 

William Roberts lived on the meadow hill, at the foot of 
Smith's Lane, about 1668, and his cellar hollow may still be 
seen there. His son, Benjamin, lived on the Hezekiah Rob- 
erts {>lace. He brought up his family in the rear L of that 
house, which is very old and has a vast cllimne3^ He after- 
wards built his main house, with a cellar having unusually 
solid walls, and a staircase down which hogsheads of rum 
could be, and })i'<)ltably were, rolled, for some of our citizcius 
were West hulia traders in those days. His son, George, 
built the house on the Ozias Roberts place for his home. 

Dr. Eliphalet Williams' house was built by Benjamin Rol»- 
erts about 1750. It is described elsewhere (see page 137). 

Deacon Joseph Olmsted, our first deacon, lived on the 
meadow hill, in an old house on the site now occupied by the 
house of the late Mr. Ashbel Olmsted. He was the first of 
the Olmstcds who settled in town. Here at a later day lived 
Elilm Olmsted, who died in 1844. 

William Olmsted, a surveyor and public man, lived east of 
Elihu Olmsted, on Main street, in the house later occupied by 
Persius Olmsted, and now by Mr. Arthur P. Moore. He died 
in 1822. 

The Capt. Aaron Olmsted house, lately burned, stood on 
the corner of Main street and the Bridge Road, and dated 
back about a century. It had a long L in the rear, and, 
when first built, a gambrel roof, but this was changed to a 
gable roof, adding a third story to the house. It was long 
the home of the Olmstcds. The first piano ever Itrought into 
town was burned in this house. 

Epaphras Olmsted, an old cavalry man of the Revolution, 
lived on the present site of the First Congregational Church. 
He died in 1836. Jonathan Olmsted lived on this site before 
him. 

Gideon Olmsted, a privateer of the Revolution, lived in an 
old house where now stands the residence of Mr. R. A. 
Chapman. 

The house once occupied by Capt. Joseph Goodwin, and 
now standing on the lane east of the post-office, is one of the 
oldest remaining in town. It once stood south of Mr. A. A. 



216 HISTORY OP EAST HARTFORD. 

Waterhoiise's, and was occupied by Caleb Goodwin, who was 
a hy]iochondriacal bachelor, and died in 1769. It was moved 
to the site of the present house of Mr. S. O. Goodwin about 
the year 1800, and repaired. Afterwards it was moved to its 
present site. Joseph Goodwin, Sr., lived in the old brown 
house, which, in 1876, gave place to the house of the writer. 

Goodwin's store on Main street, for many yeai's our ])ost- 
offieo, dates from the time of tlie Revolution or thereabout. 
Its rear door came from the old Caleb Goodwin house. Its 
front door was formerly ver}'^ capacious, and divided horizon- 
tally into two sections, and fastened with a stout wooden bar. 

Governor Pitkin lived in a house on the site now occupied 
by Mr. L. D. Kichardson, on Main street. He died iu 1769. 
The house was unpainted and l)rown, and had a long "lean- 
to " roof in the rear ; its chimney was Avholly of hewed stone. 

Col. Josepli Pitkin lived in the liouse now occujiicd by Mr. 
W. H. Olmsted. It was later owned by Capt. Martin Stanley, 
and later by Mr. Walter Pitkin. An oak tree in front of it 
is thought to be a survivor of the primeval forest. On the 
south side of this place Capt. Stanley built a hat sliop, wlicrc 
he made liats for thirty or forty years. Tliis hat shop was 
moved away and made a house on the mill road, by Mr. 
Prank Tryon. In the house next north of Mr. William H. 
Olmsted's lived Mr. David Pitkin. 

Ashbel Pitkin lived in the house now fitted up by Mr. Wm. 
Sargent (late J. C. Bull place). 

In the house now owned by Mr. Loren C. Terry once lived 
Timotliy Pitkin, and after him, for a time, Elisha Pitkin, Es(|. 
This house was shingled on the day of the battle of Bunker 
Hill, and was not re-shingled until a few years ago. Elisha 
Pitkin built the house on tlie corner of the South Meadow 
Road, and here Dr. Edward Pitkin lived after him. The house 
now occupied by Mr. Henry Bryant, the artist, was once 
owned by Mr. George Pitkin. The house next north was Mr. 
Charles Pitkin's, the humorist ; and before him was his father's, 
Mr. Nathan Pitkin. There was once a clothier's shop north of 
this house. On the hill just back of this site once stood tlic 
house of Epaphras Pitkin, tlie cellar being still traceable. A 



OLD HOUSES. 217 

wau' rapped Mr. Pitkin ii}) one night to tell him that, as he 
was passing, it struck him what a favorable chance he had to 
drain his cellar, and then hurried away — as he had need ! 
Roger Pitkin, 2d, lived just south of the jn-esent railroad, on 
the corner of Orcliard and J^rospect streets. This was known 
as the Joshua I'itkin place. E/ekiel Pitkin, son of Roger, 2d, 
built a liouse on the site that was later occujjied l)y his son, 
Dennison P., for his home. 

Col. George Pitkin lived in the Jas. Root house, now Com- 
stock's. A clothier's shop stood north of the house. Col. 
William Pitkin (4th) lived on the site now occupied by Mr. 
Wm. (I. Comstock. His house is still standing, having been 
moved down on "Poudrette Lane," on the J. C. Bull place. 

The liouse next south of the silversmith's shop, on Main 
street, was once occupied by Col. John Pitkin, who was a 
lieutenant-colonel in the expedition against Crown Point in 
1755. Afterwards ('apt. John Pitkin lived there. 

Maj. Sanuiel Pitkin lived on the site of the house of Mr. 
John B. Smith. He had a rich garden, filled with choice 
fruits and flowers. He died in 1839. His son. Gen. Samuel 
L. Pitkin, lived in the house nearly opposite Mr. E. W. Hay- 
den's. Later this was used for a parsonage. Mr. Osmyn 
Pitkin lived (1800) in the house next north of Mr. R. A. 
Chapman's. Others of the Pitkins settled in Manchester. 

Deacon Timothy Cowles, the first of the name here, lived 
on the site now occupied by Mr. L. Carney, l)efore 1700. 
Here, after him, lived Dea. William Cowles, until 1771. 

Levi Good^vin once owned a, tavern at the north end of 
Main street, standing between the roads, where Mr. Ralph A. 
Olmsted's house now stands. He afterwards built the liouse 
now owned by Mr. Aaron G. Olmsted, and lived there before 
1800. 

His son Buckland Goodwin l)uilt the house opposite Mr. 
Aaron G. Olmsted's. It was owned later by Col. Solomon 
Olmsted; then by Mr. Albert C." Raymond; and at present by 
Mr. William H. Boyle. 

George Gilman lived (before 1800) north of the brook, in 
28 



2l8 HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 

the house tiow owned by Mr. Jolin Whalen (once E. W. 
Ilajden's). 

In tlie house next nortli once lived Jacob Williams. He 
died in 1828. 

Joshua Williams lived behind the two trees on Mr. Ackley's 
lot, above Mr. Patrick Burnham's. 

Deacon Israel Williams li^ed on the old road, on the place 
lately owned by Mr. Ralzaman Gilman. 

Mr. Jonah Williams lived in the house now owned by Mr. 
Elijah Ackley. He died in 184G. 

Serg't Elias Gilman (1751 and earlier) lived in the fork 
of the Ellington and Mill roads in Podunk. 

Gilmans also lived on the site now owned and occupied l)y 
Mr. N. L. Anderson for his house. 

On the south side of the site of Mr. William M. Stanley's 
homestead once lived Mr. Ashbel Cowles, Sr. On the north 
side, Mr. Reuben Cowles. 

Anson Cowles lived in the second house north of Mr. AVil- 
liam H. Olmsted's. 

The old Cowles house, south of Mr. W. M. Stanley's, was 
once the school-house of the Second North District and stood 
in the highway, near the site of the present school building. 

On what is now known as the Stillman Putnam place once 
lived Theodore Stanley, a })rominent man in his day. Here, 
before him, lived Lieut. William Stanley, the first of the 
name who settled in our town. He was great-grandfather of 
our present selectman, William M. Stanley, Esq. 

Across the way, on the Norman Webster place, lived Col. 
Ashbel and Elisha Stanley. They had a clothier's shop north 
of the house, and were engaged in that business. This shop 
was afterwards moved to the north side of the Charles Pitkin 
house, and the business carried on l>y James Stanley and 
Nathan Pitkin until 1817. 

John Hurlburt lived in the house now occupied by Mr. 
James Bancroft, next north of the railway station, prior to 
1778. 

Timothy Olmsted, a man of much nmsical talent, lived in 
a house which stood on the west side of Main street just 



OLD HOUSES. 219 

soutli of the raili'oad. He coiiiposed many pieces and went 
about the State as a teacher. He was Mer in the Boston 
relief company of 1775, and chorister in the church. He 
afterwards moved to Harthmd and went " nmsic mad." 

Gen. Shubael Griswold lived at the corner of Orchard and 
Main streets in the house now occupied by Mr. John L. Olm- 
sted. He had a store on the corner. This site was occupied 
in 1776 by Benjamin's tavern. West of it, on '" Benjamin's 
Lane," stood a weaver's shop owned also l»y the Benjamins. 
Prior to his location here. Gen. Griswold kept store in a house 
near where Mr. R. A. Chapnum's now stands, and lived in 
tlie house now Mr. Nornuin Webster's. 

The old Wells tavern on Main street dates back many 
years. It was formerly owned by the Woodbridges, and in 
1817 was kept by a Mr. Buckler. It was a busy place in the 
old stage-coach days, with their through travel, and the scene 
of many sleigh-rides and dances. 

"•Uncle Russ," an odd character described in the Elm Leaf 
of July 1(8, 1863, once lived in a {)oor hut, half underground, 
where the academy Imilding now stands. He was the last of 
his famil}^ and clung thus literally to the soil of his ances- 
tors until removed to the [joor-house. 

(Another odd character, known as Captain Jack, lived for 
some months in a hut built into the swamp hillside, north of 
Mr. Nathaniel Warren's, on Silver Lane. He was often 
inebriated, and usually morose when so; still he sought com- 
panionship in his sprees, during which his hermitage fur- 
nished a safe retreat from the })ublic eye.) 

Dr. Samuel Flagg (1770) lived in the house now occupied 
by Mr. Samuel G. Phelps. The small house next south was 
the Doctor's office, and was once attached to the house. 

The vacant lot next south of the above, now owned by Mr. 
E. 0. Goodwin, was once known as the Merrow place, and 
was occupied by the houses now standing on the "-sand-pit" 
lot, east of the l)urying-ground. One of these buildings was 
an old yellow store, with heavy down-dropping window shut- 
ters. The Morrows also owned a house behind the large 
maple trees south of ]\Ir. Joseph Merriman's residence. On 



220 HISTORY OF KAST HARTFORD. 

a slight eminence, now also in Mr. Merriman's grounds, and 
near the front of his mansion, stood an old house amid old- 
fashioned shrubbery, — once the home of the prominent 
Mcakins family. 

Next south of Mr. Merriman's door yard, on the site once 
owned by Mr. Joseph Clark, stood the Metcalf house, for- 
merly occupied by Capt. Amherst Reynolds, of the artillery 
company, in 1813. Earlier this site was occupied by the 
Olmsteds. A little wagon-shop wliicli stood on this place 
was moved to Prospect street, and became a currier's shop; 
afterwards it was several times moved, — was a shoe shoj) 
south of Mr. Waterhouse's, was a part of Phelps' store on 
the corner of Main and Mill streets ; and is now the back 
part of Mr. John Stewart's liouse. 

Thomas Spencer built a liouse near the site of the present 
post-office before 1761. Afterwards Lemuel White — '■' 'Squire 
White" — lived here. The latter was a prominent magistrate, 
and had an office east of his house, where the store and hall 
noAV stand. Next south of this was the Phelps tavern de- 
scribed elsewhere. 

Col. Giles Olmsted lived in an old house on the site of that 
lately owned by Mr. L. T. Pitkin, nearly o])})osite the Center 
church. It was a story-and-a-half house, with a lovv-l)rowed 
gambrel roof, and had a series of tuml>le-do\vn sheds in the 
rear. 

The Polly Kendall house stood just north of Mr. A. C. 
Raymond's ]»resent residence on the corner of Central 
avenue,- — ^it was similar to the liouse last described, and had 
luxuriant lilac bushes about it, and al)undaiit "Bouncing 
Betsies" in the street. 

Between these last two houses (on land now Raymond 
park) was the Wing house, once occupied by David Deming. 
Mr. Deming's wagon-shop stood just south of it. This place 
with other land on the south has been purchased liy Mr. A. 
C. Raymond, who intends to lay out a park upon it, on the 
corner of Central avenue. 

On Buriiside avenue (then Bigelow Lane) lived William 
Bigelow, in the large house now standing on the south corner 



OLD HOUSES. 221 

on Main street; lie was a man oi" business, and ac(inired 
consideral)le property. Daniel Bigelow before liini was one 
of those deeding Burnside avenue to the town. Samuel 
Hurlburt once kept a tavern on this site. 

On this avenue settled the numei'ous Bidwells, some of 
whose descendants occupy the sites of their ancestral homes. 
In the first fork of the roads, going east, stood the house of 
Euodias Bidwell, — a sharp-roofed house with small diamoiid- 
paned windows. 

Henry Cotton bought the tavern house and store just north 
of the road here, of the heirs of Euodias Bidwell in 1832. 
This is an old fashioned brick mansion now. 

In the old house, west of tlie brook, on Burnside avenue, 
once lived Moses Bidwell. He died in 1840. 

A similar old house, some rods east of tlie brook, now 
owned by Mr. E. F. Stager, was once Russell BidwelFs. He 
died in i828. 

The house next east of this, owned by Oliver W. Elmer, 
was the homestead of Jonathan Bidwell. He died in 1815. 

Next west of Cotton's tavern stands the home of Makens 
Bemont, one of the few men in town who owned a chaise in 
1800, an indication of his conspicuous wealth. This house 
has a gambrel roof, with dormer windows, and is a typical old- 
fashioned house. 

West of this, and next east of the house of Mr. Ralph G. 
Spencer, was the old Russell Abbey place, so called, a small 
story-and-a-half brown house, hidden in lilac bushes. The 
lane next west of this was made a " right-of-way '' by the [)er- 
sistence of people in passing across to the station. 

( )n the south side of this avenue was the old George Burn- 
ham house, since made over into Mr. Horace B. Olmsted's. 
Next west of this stood an ancient red house, with a gable 
roof and low " lean-to," which has given place to the new 
house of Mr. E. C. Hills. 

On this avenue, west of Mr. C. M. Bidw ell's and nearly 
opposite " cow lane," was once a little hill, known as Benton 
Hill. On the north side of the road on this hill, under its 
elm tree, was the home of Mr. Elisha Benton, who was a sol- 
dier of the Revolution, as well as a poet, as we have seen. 



222 HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 

Tn Burnside early settled the Eastoiis and the Forbes, and 
the Spencers at Spencer Hill, and on Spencer street beyond. 

At the foot of Benjamin's Lane (now Orchard street), on 
the southeast corner, lived Thomas Case, about the year 1800, 
or eai'lier. 

Soutli of here, on the corner of Mill street, stood the old 
house of the Bucklands, dating back nearly to the earliest set- 
tlements. It had a secret cellar under its east front room, 
entered by a trajvdoor from above. Its common cellar was 
on the west side. 

On the west side of Main street, a little way north from the 
old meeting-house, stood the house of Jonathan Pratt, to 
which the " meetin' folk " resorted on cold Sunday noons, 
and to which the society meetings sometimes adjourned. Mr. 
Pratt was a tanner. He died in 1755. His son, Eliab Pratt, 
built a house on Silver Lane in 1710, on the site of the house 
now occupied by Mr. George W. Pratt. Tliis house was taken 
down about 1858. Eighty rods soutli of tliis house stood an 
Indian wigwam, inhabited (about 1775-80) by a remnant of 
one of the tribes once living about here. 

Russell Smith built a house on Silver Lane, nearly opposite 
to Eliab Pratt's and al)out the same time. West of this, on 
the corner of the mill road, lived Nehemiah Smith, in a house 
now no longer standing. This house had a doulde gallery 
across the front, which faced the west. 

Jonathan Risley lived soutli of Silver Lane, near the south- 
west corner of Mr. (t. W. Pratt's land. His son Timothy 
lived here after him. Timotliy Risley was father of Eri Ris- 
ley. Other Risleys lived on Main street near Willow Brook. 

On Silver Lane, also, stood the old Benjamin Hills house 
(1731), now owned by Mr. Benjamin Sisson ; here stood, too, 
the houses of John Hazeltine, and John Abbey, and, near the 
mill road, the old Roberts house, where Mr. Frank Roberts' 
house now stands. 

The house next east of Mr. Benjamin Sisson's, lately owned 
by the Bidwells, was once owned by Lieut. David Little, who 
was committee on Sunday boating in 1784. Dr. Bidwell kept 
a tavern in it. 



OLD HOUSES. 223 

West side of INIain street, south of the Hocknniim River, 
lived the Warrens. Dr. Warren ran a cider-brandy still on 
the premises now owned hy Mr. Horace Williams. 

Capt. Sanmel Wells lived in Hockanum (1700), in the 
place now owned by Mr. Reuben Brewer. He owned a tract 
of land, we are told, one-half mile wide, lying just north of 
Brewer Lane, and extending east to the three miles' end. His 
son, Capt. Samuel Wells, Jr., was a lieutenant in the army in 
1757, during the French war. Col. Jonathan Wells lived on 
the James Hills place ; Jonathan Wells, Ji-., in what was lately 
the Levi Moody ])lace. 

The old house owned by Mr. Josejih Treat is a (piaint old 
mansion, willi a basement work-sho]), and a gaml»rel roof with 
dormer windows. It has a large hall chamber, in which once 
stood an antique loom. 

Hockanum was also the early home of a branch of the Rob- 
erts family, whose descendants still live here. 

Jonathan Hills, Esq., lived near the meadow gate in Hock- 
anum. He owned slaves, and was a prominent man in his 
day. He lived in the house now occupied by Mr. Pebbles. 

On the East Glastonl)ury road lived the Porters. They 
opened this road ahout 1775, from near Brewer Lane south- 
erly to Glastonbury. They are said to have owned eighty- 
four rods in width of the three mile lots. 

Ashbel Roberts built the house now standing next south of 
the brook on this road. 

David Porter once lived on the farm now owned by Mr. 
Philip Handel. 

The Winslows settled on the corner of tliis road north of 
the brook, about one hundred years ago. 

Daniel Pitkin lived in the Meadow, and kept a tavern and 
stoi'e, just north of the ferry road and landing, and south of 
the present bridge. When his house burned down his family 
moved to a house on the road running north by the present 
lumber yard, and afterwards lived on the Bridge Road, where 
they kept a tavern and a store. The tavern was Inirned down, 
and re-built only to be burned again; the store is now owned 
by Mr. G. W. Darlin. 



224 HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 

Ill the North Meadow, Joseph Eastoii, one of the first set- 
tlers, lived about the year 1700. 

Pomp Equality, once a slave of Daniel Pitkin's, owned a 
schooner, and was himself its master. He died in the house 
now owned by Mr. Obed Chapman, and owned some real estate. 

Morse's Hotel was built or conducted for years as a tavern 
by Joseph Pantry Jones. 

Earlier, John Pantry Jones kept a tavern on what was then 
the corner of the South Meadow Road, a few rods south of 
Mr. Cliauncey Lester's. 

Building- lots in the Meadow once sold for high prices, the 
people believing it would grow to be ^ a second Brooklyn." 



THE PITKIN FAMILY. 



CHAPTER XXL 



Seldom is it the fortune of any family to have numbered so 
many individuals raised to places of distinction in the affairs 
of a State, by their own abilities, as in the case of tlie Pitkin 
family of East Hartford. No other family in our common- 
wealth stood so constantly and for so long- a time in the front 
of current events, unless it were the Wolcott family of Wind- 
sor (now South Windsor), which w as also remarkable for the 
number of its prominent men. From 1659 to 1840 and later, 
the Pitkin s were conspicuously represented in our church, 
town, and State governments, as well as in our military affairs 
and inter-colonial relations. From memoranda made by Gen. 
S. L. Pitkin we gather the following facts. 

The {)ioneer of this family in this country was William Pit- 
kin, already mentioned among the earlier settlers of our town. 
He was born in 1635 in Marylel)one, without the walls of Lon- 
don, England. He came to Hartford in 1659. He was by 
profession a lawyer, and was appointed King's attorney for 
the colony in 1664. He was a representative in the assembly 
from 1675 to 1690, excepting during Sir Ednmnd Andros' 
brief authority ; in 1676 was treasurer of the colony, and from 
1690 until his death was a memlier of the council, and was 
otherwise prominent in the affairs of the colonies. He was 
sent with Samuel Willys to New York with a letter to Gov. 
Andros, asking him " to engage the Mowhawkes against our 
Indian enemies," etc. He died in 1694. His wife was Hannah 
Goodwin, daiighter of Ozias Goodwin, the ancestor of the 
Goodwin family. His sister Martha married Simon, youngest 
son of Henry Wolcott, and was mother of the iirst Govei'- 
nor Wolcott, and ancestor of Oliver Wolcott, of Oliver Wol- 
29 



226 HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 

cott, Jr., and of Roger Griswold, who were also governors of 
Connecticnt.* 

The Hon. Wilb'am Pitkin, son of the above, was educated 
by his father in his profession of the law, and married Eliza- 
beth Stanley, daughter of Hon. Caleb Stanley. He was one 
of the Council of the Colony for twenty-six years ; was judge 
of tlie county court, and of the probate court ; and in 1703 
was judge of the court of assistants ; and after the establish- 
ment of ihc superior court in 1711, was a judge of that court 
until 1713, when he was made chief justice. He lived near 
the house of the late Capt. John Pitkin on Main street, south 
of the railroad, and about twenty-live rods from the street. 
He died in 1723. Prior to 1706 he owned the mill seats on 
the Hockanum, and built two fulling mills and erected a 
clothier's shop, carrying on the business largely for the bene- 
fit of his sons, William and Joseph, to whom he gave the 
mills.f 

Of the second generation, also, was Hon. Ozias Pitkin, who 
was repeatedly elected to the legislature, and in 1725 received 
the appointment of associate judge of Hartford County until 
1735, when he was chosen chief judge. He was a member of 
the Council of the Colony in 1727, and remained a member 
from that time until his death in 1746. 



* William Pitkin left a brother, Roger, in I^ngland, an officer in the royal 
arm.v. His sister, Martha, in 1660 or 1661 (she then being about 21 years 
of age), crossed the Atlantic in the hope of inducing her brother William 
to return from his wilderness life. She found him feeding his swine. She 
said, " I left one brother in England serving his king, and find another 
in America serving his swine." She met with a flattering reception in the 
colony, and was thought " too valuable to be parted with. " It was a ques- 
tion what young man was good enough for her. Simon Wolcott, to their 
8ur|)rise, and perhaps her own, for her mind was still to return to England, 
succeeded in obtaining her hand. One account has it that so many young 
men wished to marry her that the matter was decided by lot, which fell on 
young Wolcott. She is said to be the ancestor of seven governors of this 
and other States. 

f William Pitkin, 2d, is said to have been no less ready in repartee than 
he was able in argument. He was once opposed in a case by Mr. Eells, a 
brother lawyer. Eells, in his summing up, said that the court would per- 
ceive that "the Pipkin was cracked." "Not so much so, your honor," 
he replied, " but j'ou will find it will do to stew Eells in yet." 



THE PITKIN FAMILY. 'ZtLi 

Capt. Roger Pitkin, also of the second generation, was 
selectman of the town of Hartford, and captain of the first 
organized company on this side of the river. He died in 
1748. 

Hon. Col. Joseph Pitkin, son of AVilliam Pitkin, 2d, was 
selectman, and for many years a representative of Hartford. 
He was ca})tain of om' train-band in 1738, and afterwards 
colonel of the First Regiment. He was also a justice of the 
peace, and judge of the county court. His first wife was 
Mary Lord, daughter of Richard Lord of Hartford ; his second 
wife was Eunice Chester, daughter of Hon. Col. John Cliester 
of Wethersfield ; his third wife was Madam Law, widow^ of 
Jojiatlian Law of Milford, once governor of Connecticut. He 
died in 1763. 

Governor William Pitkin was son of William Pitkin, 2d. 
He had no college education, but was brought up in the 
clothier's business by his father, from whom he acquired a 
sound knowledge of business and of political affairs. He was 
chosen town collector in 1715, and in 1730 was captain of 
the train-band on this side the river. From this office he was 
promoted until he became colonel of the First Regiment in 
1739. His talents, " aided by a natural courtesy and ease of 
manner," led him to take a prominent place in political 
affairs. He represented Hartford in the colonial legislature 
six years, and was speaker of the House from 1728 to 1734, 
when he was chosen assistant. He was a justice of the peace 
and of the quorum in 1730 ; presided as judge of the county 
court from 1735 to 1752 ; was elected judge of the sui)erior 
court in 1741, chief justice and deputy-governor in 1754, and 
governor in 1766,* holding that office until his death. The 
inscription on his monument, written by good Dr. Williams, 
is as follows : 

" Here lieth Interred the body of the Honorable William 

* Deputy-governor Pitkin was a strong advocate of colonial rights, and 
opposed the Stamp Act and other unpopular measures. The course of 
Gov. Fitch had made him unpopular, and in May, 1700, William Pitkin 
was chosen governor over him by a majority so great, says the Connecticut 
Gazette, that the votes were not counted. Hon. Jonathan Trumbull was 
deputy-governor. 



228 HISTORY OP EAST HARTFORD. 

Pitkin, Esqr, late Governor of the Colony of Connecticut. 
To the God of Nature indebted for all his Talents, he aimed 
to Employ them in Religion without Affectation, Chearfull, 
Humble, and Temperate, Zealous and bold for the Truth, 
Faithfull in Distributing Justice, Scattering away Evil with 
his Eye, an Example of Christian Virtue, a Patron of his 
Country, a Benefactor to the poor, a Tender Parent and 
Faithful Friend. Twelve years he presided in the Superior 
Court, and three years and an half, Governor in Chief. After 
serving his Generation l)y the Will of God with Calmness and 
serenity fell on sleep, the 1st day of Octol)er, A. D., 1769, in 
the T6th year of his age. 

" Walk thoughtful on that solemn shore 
Of that vast ocean thou art soon to pass." 

Among Gen. Pitkin's memoranda is the following : " Gov. 
Pitkin was of commanding appearance, and higlily affable 
and pleasant in his manner. His urbanity and courtesy were 
long remembered by those who enjoyed his acquaintance.'" 
A satire pul)lished many yea,rs ago makes use of his affability 
to reiwesent him "• bowing and scraping, and constant hand- 
sliaking," graces we can certainly tolerate in one who scat- 
tered away evil with his eye. Gov. Pitkin's house stood on 
the site of Mr. L. D. Richardson's. 

Col. Jolm Pitkin, son of William Pitkin, 2d, was selectman 
of Hartford in 1735. He was lieutenant-colonel of the First 
Regiment of the forces raised for the expedition against Crowni 
Point and Canada in 1755, " and served throughout the cam- 
paign with great credit to himself." The muster roll of his 
company is given elsewhere (see Early History, 1670-1774). 
He became colonel of his regiment in 1756. He was in the 
legisla,ture many years, and died in 1790. 

Of the fourth generation was the Hon. Col. William. Pitkin, 
son of Governor Pitkin. In 1758 he was "major of tlie First 
Regiment of colonial forces raised for the expedition against 
Canada, under Gen. Abercrombie, and acquired the reputation 
of a faithful and gallant officer. He was colonel in the militia 
later ; was often in the legislature, acting sometimes as its 
clerk ; was sheriff' of Hartford County for several years, and 



IMIE PITKIN FAMILY. 229 

was elected to the Council from 1766 to 1785. He served as 
a member of the Council of Safety during the greater part of 
the Revolutionary War. In 1 784 he was elected to the Con- 
gress of the United States. He died in 1789, after serving 
as judge of the Superior Court for nineteen years, " having 
lived during a very interesting period of our history, and 
taken a part in many of the important events by which it is 
characterized." 

Col. George Pitkin, son of Gov. William Pitkin, served in 
the militia, and was commissioned lieutenant-colonel com- 
mandant of the Foui'th Regiment of minute-men, and marched 
with his regiment to Roxbury, during the siege of Boston. 
He represented Hartford in the legislature of 1783, and East 
Hartford for two years afterward. He lived in what is now 
known as the Root house. 

Elisha Pitkin, Esq., son of Col. Joseph Pitkin, was a trader, 
and lived on the corner of the South Meadow Road, near tlie 
site of the old meeting-house. His house had a, rejtutation 
for hospitality, and was called the " ministers' hotel." Here 
Count de Rochambeau was entertained during the stay of the 
French troops in our town in Revolutionary times. Mr. Pit- 
kin was a graduate of Yale, and for many y^ars a magistrate 
and prominent citizen.* 

Of the fifth generation was Maj. Samuel Pitkin, son of 
Elisha, who lived where Mr. John B. Smith's house now 
stands. He was a graduate of Yale : was major in the artil- 
lery, and town clerk and treasurer for thirty-Hve years. He 
was often in the legislature ; was a deacon of the First 
Church, and superintendent of its first Sunday-school in 
1819. He died in 1839, and is pleasantly remembered by 
many of our citizens. A gentleman of the old school, he 
wore to the last his knee breeches and silk stockings, and 
large silver buckles, a habit which had passed out of vogue. 
His long white hair was gathered in a queue and tied with a 

*He was a typical old-times' justice of the peace, firm aud exact in 
administering- judgment. lie bad a sense of humor, too. One Evans, 
whose family had a bad name, was brought before him. " What is his 
name?" asked 'Squire Pitkin. "Evans," was tlie answer. "Evans! 
Guilty, then! " said the Justice. 



2;)0 HISTORY OP EAST HARTFORD. 

black bow. It was said of him that he would have made a 
good duke. lu uiauner he was courteous and genial, and 
beloved by the children. His wife was Sarah Parsons, a 
woman of many accomplishments, whose researches have 
presei'vcd foj" us much that is valuable in the history of her 
husliand's family. Her obituary notice was written by Mrs. 
Sigourney. 

Sanmel L. Pitkin, son of the above, was town clerk and 
representative, and prominent in business and military circles. 
He became major-general of the State militia in 1837, and in 
1839 was appointed adjutant-general. He was a graduate of 
West Point, and died in 1845. 

Capt. James Pitkin is said to have been ca}>tain of the fii'st 
steamboat that came up the Connecticut River, one " elec- 
tion" holiday, prior to 1825. 

Many others of this family have been distinguished by 
fre<iuent election to office, and the commitment to them of 
important trusts. 



CUSTOMS AW I) LAWS. 



CHAPTER XXII. 

The government established by our fatliers in the young 
Colony of Connecticut was in many respects a stern and 
exacting one. They of course felt it to be important to 
intrench themselves against the dogmas of the old world 
from which they had found asylum, and also to adopt a rigid 
policy against the many fanatical souls who sought these 
shores, half-crazed with a sense of unlimited freedom, as 
well as against the swarm of disreputable refugees and adven- 
turers who sought refuge here from their own unsavory rep- 
utations across the sea. In this critical formative time of a 
new nation, it behooved its guardians to have a jealous care 
of the elements that sought to fuse themselves into it, and 
there is more occasion to thank them for their wise exclusive- 
ness of whatever might prove a fatal element in the composi- 
tion of the State than to reproach them for bigotry and 
intolerance, though that charge may with abundant justice 
be made against them. Probably to nothing does our gov- 
ernment owe so much for its permanence and present stability 
as to the fact" that it was founded upon the Puritan idea of 
absolute righteousness. 

Still the early days of our commonwealth were a most 
uncomfortable time for lawless souls. Although the long- 
reviled " Blue Laws of Connecticut " have been proved a 
fabrication, there is enough in the actual code of 1650 to 
make a sinful nature shrink from contact with it. There 
were fourteen capital laws, based upon the Mosaic code, and 
all but one having a reference to scriptural authority attached 
to it. Other punishments were by the stocks, the pillory, 
and the whipping-post, or by the terrible disgrace of branding 



232 HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 

Oil the forehead or the hands, or by imprisonment in the 
house of correction. Tlie old whipi)ing-i)0st in our town 
stood near the present sign-post in the Center District until 
within a few years, and some of our people remember the 
application of the lash to the have backs of culprits who were 
tied to it. 

Chm-ch membership was not absolutely essential to partic- 
ipants in the government of the State, although it had great 
weight in the determination of the reputation and standing of 
the citizen. 

Among the early orders passed by the courts are many of 
curious interest. In 1686 it was enacted tliat no'^yonge 
man y' is neither married nor hath any servaunte & be noe 
publicke officer shall keep howse by himself, w"'uut consent 
of the town where he lives first had, under i)ainc of 20s. p"" 
weeke;" nor could any master of a family harbor any such 
young man witliout incurring the displeasure of the court. 
To indicate still further how hard was the lot of bachelors at 
that time appears the record of a young man fined for in- 
veigling the affections of a maid without her master's consent. 
Householders were forbidden to entertain strangers, — mean- 
ing Quakers, ranters, Adamites, and like '•'• herctiques." 

The price of labor was regukitcd bylaw ; excess in apparel 
was forbidden as "• unliecoming a wilderness condition and 
the profession of the gospell, whereby the rising generation 
is in danger to be corrupted, which practices are testifyed 
against in God's holy Word.'' And any one wearing "• gold 
or silver lace, or gold or silver buttons, silk ribbons, or other 
supertluous trimings, or any bone lace above three shillings 
per yard, or silk scarfes," the list>-makers were to assess such 
persons or their husbands, parents, or masters, at one hundred 
and fifty pounds estate, and they Avere to pay accordingly, 
" as such men used to pay to whom such ap})arell is alowed 
as suitable to their rank." Magistrates and their families 
were exempt from the ap])lication of this law. The dress of 
the common people was sober in color, and of homespun 
texture. The magistrates until recently wore cocked hats, as 
a sort of I)adi2;e of office. 



CUSTOMS AND LAWS. Z66 

Besides the Sunday services of our ancestors there was a 
pu])lic lecture upon a week day, upon which attendance was 
expected, and this was the usual day for the parade of cul- 
prits in the stocks, or upon the ])illory, before the meeting- 
house in Hartford. 

Travel u{)on Sunday was forbidden, except uj)on the most 
urgent business, and even good Dr. Williams, of stern and 
venerable aspect, had to have his Sunday pass, signed by a 
justice of the peace, when he "-exchanged pulpits" with 
neighl)oring nrinisters. One of his passes to New Lebanon, 
N. Y., is preserved ; it is dated 1791, and is signed by William 
Williams, justice of the peace. It requests the '•'• informing 
officers'' not to interrupt or delay Dr. Williams upon his 
journey. Jonathan Hills, Esq., of Hockanum stop]jed Sun- 
day travelers and kept them at his house until holy time was 
passed. 

In tlie times of the Indian alarms, guards were ordered at 
all '•'• meetings for i-eligious use," and all soldiers were to 
" bring a muskett, pystoll, or some peece, w^^ powder and shott 
to ech meeting." Seats were provided for them near the 
door, and a sentinel was kept outside. As forts were ordered 
built on this side the river after our first meeting-house was 
finished, very probably our fathers went armed to meeting, 
and scanned the river swamp with watchful eyes. On week 
days, places of rendezvous were appointed in case of an 
alarm, and delinquents were fined or censured by the court. 
All men were subject to guard duty, and turns had to be 
taken as night watchmen. 

The arms of the earlier days consisted of pikes, swords, 
guns, or muskets, and pistols. The guns were of rude con- 
struction, being known as match-locks — which were fired 
with a lighted piece of wood, and required to l»e aimed from 
a " rest," which the gunner carried, — or as snap-hances, the 
early flint-lock muskets. The soldiers often wore armor, or 
arrow-proof quilted coats. 

In Hartford, in 164o, a bell was ordered rung by the watch 
every morning one hour before daybreak, — to begin at the 
bridge, on Main street, and go forth and back from Master 
30 



234 HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 

Moody's (Buckingham street) to John Pratt's (Pratt street), 
" and there shall be in every house one up and some lights 
within one-quarter of an hour after the end of the bell ring- 
ing"; in default of which "to forfeit Is. tJd., to be to him 
that finds him faulty, and 6d. to the town." These were 
incentives to early rising which we do not have. 

Before the days of newspapers and handljills the town 
crier, rising in public meetings to make his announcements, 
or perambulating the streets with his monotonous voice and 
his bell, was an institution in the larger towns. He an- 
nounced the arrival and departure of vessels and other events 
of a public nature, and cried articles or children lost or 
found, the public sales of property, etc. 

In 1707 every ratable person in the town was to kill a dozen 
blackbirds in March, April, or May, or pay one shilling to the 
town's use. A penny a head was paid for all extra birds 
killed. A bounty of 10s. a head was also paid for all wolves 
killed within three miles of the town. 

The early towns were close corporations. For many years 
a person wishing to become an inhabitant of Hartford had to 
be formally admitted by a vote of the inliabitants, and was 
given a certain share in the common lands and other property 
of the town. To be made a freeman was a subsequent matter, 
and required the sanction of the courts and the taking of tlie 
freeman's oath. The attendance of freemen at town meetings 
was obligatory, and none could be excused except by consent 
of the entire meeting. The meetings were at one time held 
monthly, and all freemen were obliged to stay until the meet- 
ing adjourned. The selectmen of the towns were known as 
townsmen at first. It was among their duties to l»uy or hire 
bulls and boars for the use of the town. Forty shillings aris- 
ing from the sale of a town-bull was given to the east side 
company for the purchase of colors in 1701. 

Slaves were owned by tlie principal families, even to within 
fifty years of our own lime. Elisha Pitkin owned slaves, and 
Dr. Williams, the Goodwins, Olmsteds, and Jonathan Hills 
of Hockanum, and others, though probably the total number 
was not large. In 1761 there were but 23 colored persons 



CUSTOMS AND LAWS. 2-35 

enumerated on this side the river. The following curious cer- 
tificates are from our town recoi'ds : 

'•'■ These may certify that according to my Ijest knowledge 
and belief, Tamer, a molatto girl in my family was born of 
my Negro woman, Flora, sometime in July, 1785, according 

to my minutes then made. 

Elisha Pitkin. * 

" A true Record entered the 6th day of June, 1789. 

Test, JoNA™ Stanley, Register.'' 

'' On the second day of March, A.D., 1790, in the Dwelling 
House of Euodias Bidwell in East Hartford, was born a Negro 
Male child in Lawful Wedlock, of a Negro woman belonging 
to me named Rose. The Father is Jack a Negro man, late 
the servant of the Hon''''- William Pitkin, Esqr., deceased. 
Which is according to my best knowledge and l:)elief. 

" George Pitkin. 

" A true Record, entered July the 28th, 1790. 

Test, Jonathan Stanley, Register^ 

Some now living remember " Old Flo'," as she was called, 
who is named in one of these certificates. 'Squire Elisha Pit- 
kin at his death left 200 acres of woodland in the Five Miles 
for her support, but she lived to so great an age that his son, 
Dr. Edward Pitkin, liecame tired of supporting her, and turned 
her on to the town. Thereupon 'Squire Pitkin's executors 
were summoned to answer to Lemuel White, Esq., and the 
rest of the inhal^itants of East Hartford for her sui)port accord- 
ing to the law, — and were probably obliged to provide for 
her. She lived in the old Warren house, south of the Hock- 
anum Bridge. 

" Old Sylvia," still remembered by some, was once the prop- 
erty of General Pitkin. She lived to be so old that she could 
not climb to the negroes' seats in the meeting-house on Sun- 
days, and so sat upon the stairs that led up to them. 

* Elisha Pitkiu's slaves, as entered in the town book beneath his family 
record, are : Flora, born 1752 ; her children — Lill, born 1772, Sylva, born 
1776, Nando, born 1779, Leah, born 1788 (married a white man in xilbany), 
Tamer, born 1785. 

Jin's children — Dinah, born 1783. 



236 HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 

Matilda Scott. ("Aunt Matty") was another thrifty relic 
of the kindly days of New England slavery. She once owned 
a house on Mill street, and is jileasantly remembered as a very 
helpful neighbor. 

Memories are still alive of the stories told by these faithful 
old servants of our older families while sitting long evenings 
by the winter fire-place — weird tales of witches and hobgob- 
lins, that made the children afraid to go to bed, as well as 
sunny reminiscences of their younger days. 

It hardly seems possible to our younger generation, but 
slavery was not abolished in our State until the year 1848,* al- 
though it had for some tinu^ ])rior to that date practically 
ceased to exist. 

The earlier conveniences for travel were clumsy ox-carts, 
or the backs of beasts, — the latlies riding oftenest upon the 
horses behind the men, on pillions. The first chaise brought 
to town was owned by Elisha Pitkin, Esq., we are told. Dr. 
Timothy Hall, when he began to practice here, had no horse ; 
he carried his saddle-bags on his shoulders, as he trudged 
about among his patients. He afterwards came to own a 
chaise. 

Chaises at first were counted a luxury, and their owners 
were taxed for them. In 1792 there were twelve returned by 
the lister in East Hartford ; these were owned by Dr. Samuel 
Flagg, John Goodwin, Selah Norton, Aaron Olmsted, John 
Pitkin, Elisha Pitkin, George Pitkin, Widow Abigail Pitkin, 
and Widow Anna Woodbridge ; and by Dr. Timothy Hall, 
and Elisha Risley, of Hockanum. Open-to[)|»ed carriages and 
sulkies were owned by twenty-four persons at this time. Later 
the keeping of chaises was licensed by the United States gov- 
ernment, subject to a duty of $4 each per year. The writer 
has one of these licenses issued to Major Samuel Pitkin in 
1816. 

At first the colony sought to encourage the growing of to- 
bacco in the [>lantations ; l)ut in 1747 it ordered that " Foras- 
much as it is obsearved that many abuses arc committed by 



* The importation of slaves into Connecticut was forbidden in 1771. 
In 1784 was passed an act declaring that all cliildrcu of slaves thereafter 
born should become free on attaining the age of twenty-five years. 



CUSTOMS AND LAWS. 237 

frequent takeing tobacco," no person under the age of twenty 
years, nor any other not accuslonied to the use, should take 
any tolmcco unless he obtained a certificate from a physician 
that it was useful to him, and also a license from the court. 
And such as had the habit were not to take it |)ublicly in the 
street, nor in the fields or woods unless when on their journey 
at least ten miles, except at dinner time ; nor above once a 
day any way, and then not in company with any person. 
This act was probably never very strenuously enforced, and 
hardly comports with the later history of a State which has 
won so high a reputation for tobacco culture as has our own. 

Of the household arts of the days that are gone we have 
many traditions. There is hardly an old family in town but 
has still its reels and spinning-wheels, and perhaps its loom, 
standing idle in the cobwebs of the garret. The time was 
when the power mills in our town were subservient to the 
looms and wheels of the family fireside, carding the wool for 
them, or fulling the homespun fabrics they produced. There 
are those living who tell us of tlie "stints" at the wheels 
which met the girls at an almost tender age, and busied them 
through all their industrious lives. In a time when rugs and 
carpets and all textile fabrics were hand-made, the bride could 
indeed boast of her outfit, fashioned mostly l»y her own hands. 
There are many traditions of surprising achievements liy the 
assiduous housewives of the past which we ho])e will long be 
perpetuated by their descendants. In our old families are 
still kept premiums and diplomas from the agricultural soci- 
eties won l>y the good dames of a lialf century or more ago. 

The prevalent conception of the boy of the past pictures 
him as standing by the wayside with his hat politely doffed, 
while the venerable citizen passes by. It is a conception 
which has done a deal of good in the world. But it is not 
altogether correct in its premises. A venerable member of 
the family of the writer, now many years dead, was once 
asked in what respect the later days were superior to those of 
the past. He replied, " In the better conduct of the young." 
In his younger days it was no uncommon thing for the young 
men of the leading families to l)e brought l)cfore the magis- 
trates for the wild deeds in which they engaged. Sometimes 



238 HISTORY OP EAST HARTFORD. 

a farmer's load of wood was run off in the night, and dumped 
in tlie swamp; or, perchance, some morning lie found his cart 
lifted hddily asti'ide of the ridge of his barn — a good i'ore- 
iKion's work for a half dozen men and hoys to get it down 
again. And then there were tlie contests on Sunday noons 
under the iiill east of the old meeting-house, where one of our 
first citizens confesses that he vanquished the champion of 
Hockanum in the halcyon days of his youth. But, for our 
part, we have no boast to make for the present in this regard. 
They had no Sunday-schools in those days. 

A CASE OF WITCHCRAFT. 

We had hoped to claim as residents of our side of the 
Great River the principal persons in a case of supposed witch- 
craft, for which Nathaniel Greensmith and his wife Rebecca 
were executed in Hartford in 1662. But the inexorable logic 
of the records has convinced us that, although Greensmith 
owned land in Podunk, he did not live there, Init had a house 
on what is now New Britain avenue, in Hartford. The case 
well represents the dreadful belief in a real devil which pre- 
vailed, together with a certain conviction that he had his 
emissaries on earth, whose aim was to draw all men into hor- 
rible covenant with him. It was thought that these agents of 
his were especially active against the young and the pure. 
In the account of the case we have mentioned, it appears 
from Mather's Magnalia that one Anna Cole, ■■' a person of 
serious piety, was taken with sirange fits wherein her tongue 
was improved by a demon to express things unknown to her- 
self Such and such persons were consult- 
ing how they might carry on miscliievous designs against her 
and others, by afflicting their f)odics and destroying their good 
names." Ail answer the invisible speakers were heard to 
make was, ■•' Ah ! she runs to the rock ! " Then the demons 
confounded her language, that she might tell no more tales, 
and she talked in a Dutch tone. One of the persons accused 
in this matter was Rebecca Greensmith, who was then in 
prison on suspicion of witchcraft. She was brought before 
the magistij'ates, and the ministers read Anna Cole's strange 
speech to her. She astonished them by declaring it true, and 



CUSTOMS AND LAWS. 2o9 

by further asserting that slie, and others named in the papers, 
had familiarity with the deviL She had made no formal 
covenant with him, but only promised to go with him when 
he called her, " which she had sundry times done accord- 
ingly." At Christmas he had told her they would have 
a merry meeting, and then the agreement between them 
should be sultscribed. She also acknowledged that when the 
ministers Ijegan to read she was in a grent rage, and could 
have torn them to pieces, and resolved on denial ; but after 
they had read 'twas as if the flesh were pulled off her bones, 
and she could no longer deny what they charged. She 
declared that the devil first appeared in the shape of a deer 
skipping about her, and that he came frequently to her. 

She was indicted for "familiarity with Satan the grand 
enemy of God and mankind." Her husband, Nathaniel 
Greensmith, was also indicted with her. Upon her con- 
fession and " other concurrent evidence," they wei-e both 
executed, the woman alone confessing. The other accused 
persons escaped to other parts of the country, — " whereupon 
Anna Cole was happily delivered from lier troubles." 

In explanation of the queer confession of Rebecca Green- 
smith, it may Ije said that confession was often the easiest 
way to escape the tortures of the water-trial and other fanati- 
cal tests which were tried upon the accused. One "• method 
was to tie the thumb of the right hand to the toe of the left 
foot, and draw the victims through a horse-pond. If they 
floated, they were witches ; if they sank, they were in all 
likelihood drowned." {North Ameriean Meview, April, 1869.) 
Another reason for the confessions which were made by sus- 
pected persons was that they often seemed to believe in their 
guilt as firmly as did those who acjcused them. 

There were other suspected cases of witchcraft in Hartford 
and its vicinity, and a numljer of executions took place, but 
at no time did the delusion expand to such frightful dimen- 
sions as it afterwards attained in Salem, Massachusetts. 

What part the people living on our soil had in these super- 
stitions we do not know, but probably they shared in the 
apprehensions of that dark, portentous time, and thanked 



240 HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 

God that Satan was caused to withhold his hand from among 
them. 

Eerie stories, and a lialf belief in witches, lurked in oui- 
chimney corners for many a year, and men tieuilded at tlie 
weird sounds of the night, and read many dai'k omens in the 
varying plienomena of the sky. Stories are still told of the 
witches who rode Ijack and forth on the roiid west of Thomas 
Burnham's, braiding the manes and tails of the horses as they 
rode. 

So late as tlie Revolution the Hockanum Causeway, near 
the old meeting-house, was believed to be haunted by a gigan- 
tic spectre — an apparition higher than the tree-tops, cleaving 
the midnight air with a vast shadowy sword. And headless 
horsemen were seen in the swamp, near l)y, wandering aim- 
lessly about, as such men naturally would, we suppose. Other 
" old crone stories " were told, and belated lovers used often 
to hasten their steps at a passing gleam upon the roadside 
pool, or at the clammy touch of a low-waving bough that 
brushed them as they passed. A venerable citizen tells us 
that once he courageously followed a fleeting figure in white 
into the burying-ground, where he found it to be a vagrant 
crazy woman. 



ADDENDA 



The Review op 1843. 

Since the foregoiug pages were in print, we have received a letter from 
Gen. James T. Pratt, containing fuller information about the grand review 
in our meadows in 1843. It says: 

"On the 3d and 4th of October, 1843, the First Brigade of Militia, 
under command of Brig. -Gen. George C. Owen, mustered at Hartford 
for inspection, review, and exercise. The Brigade consisted of eight 
Regiments — two of Cavalry, one of Light Artillery, and five of Infantry. 
The several Regiments were inspected on the 3d by Division-Inspector 
Thomas H. Seymour. On the morning of the 4th the Brigade marched 
across the bridge to East Hartford, where it was received by Major-General 
Pratt, in the presence of the Governor, Lieut. -Governor, and other State 
officers, the Mayor of the city and a vast concourse of citizens, estimated 
by many as high as fifty thousand. The Brigade, including volunteer 
companies from New Haven, Norwich, and other parts of the State, 
together with the Governor's Horse and Foot Guards, numbered between 
five and six thousand men. The presence of Col. Richard M. Johnson, of 
Tecumseh notoriety, was an attractive feature of the day. After the 
review the Brigade marched back to Hartford, where it was dismissed. 
During the parade every thing passed off to the satisfaction of both 
soldiers and citizens." 

" The staff of Maj.-Geu. Pratt were: Major Henry C. Trumbull, aid-de- 
camp; Major Drayton Hillyer, aid-de-camp; Lieut. Thomas H. Seymour, 
division-inspector; Major J. Dean Alden, division-quartermaster. 

"The staff of Brig. -Gen. Owen were: Capt. Richard D. Hubbard, 
aid-de-camp; Major Henry A. Loomis, brigade-major and inspector; 
Dwight W. Pardee, brigade-quartermaster." 

Gen. Pratt further says that the Light Guard was at its post in the line, 
and that Col. Johnson had no body-guard. The review took place north 
of the North Meadow Road, on the same ground on which Rochambeau's 
army was encamped when here during the Revolution. From ten o'clock 
A. M. until five p. m. , the Brigade was constantly under arms, " conse 
quentlj^ there was little opportunity for taking refreshment at [Jones's] 
hotel." If our text (page 202) imputes anything like dissipation to the 
officers or men — and we certainly did not so intend — we gladly make the 
correction, feeling sure that Gen. Pratt's well-known staimcli temperance 
principles will easily exonerate him from any careless suspicion we may 

81 



242 HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 

seem to have cast upon him. Jones's hotel was a notable house in its day ; 
Mr. Jones was a member of the State legislature in 1837, and had been 
captain of our infantry company in earlier years. His house was, verj' 
fitly, a resort for military men. 

The Gulf. — On page 190 we have wrongly given the date of the forma- 
tion of the Gulf as 1818. Its earliest channel was cut about a hundred 
years before that date, and long before the bridge over the Connecticut 
was built. For some reason the ice, then less broken by bridges and 
dams than now, blocked in the river on Sunday, and turned the current 
across our upper meadows. The ice-packed flood came tearing down next 
the meadow hill with a fearful noise. The startled congregation hurried 
out of the meeting-house to ascertain the cause. 

Erratum. — Page 39, Ime 23, for John read Thomas. 



INDEX 



»*# An alphabetical list of early settlers will be foiiud oa pages 59 to t)7. A list of town 
officers on pages 98 to 101. A list of soldiers in the war of 1861-65 on pages 208 to 211. 
All other names will be found in the following index : 



Atlas, Hartford Co., x. 

Arramaniet, 17, 28, 29, 40, 
heirs, 31. 

Attawanhood (Joshua), 30. 

Adams, Jeremy, Ki. 

Apples, "Belle bonne," 89. 

Apparel, Dr. Williams', 135. 
—Major Pitkin's, 229.— Ex- 
cess in, etc., 232. 

Ayres, Jared A., 163. 

Academy, 173. 

Arms and armor, 233. 

Apparitions, 240. 

Allen, Mr., 26, 28.— Col., 29.— 
John, 45, 155. 

Abbey, JcJhu, 73. 183, 222.— 
John, Jr., 78. — Stephen, 
105.— Neheraiah, Jr., 203.— 
Russell, 221. 

Anderson, Ira, 96, 199.— Nor- 
man L., 167, 214, 218.— 
John. 186. 

Andrews, Wm., 46, 164.— 
Francis, 47.— Edward, 47, 
52, 178, 214.— .Sarah, 52.— 
Mary, 52.— Solomon, 52, 
125.— Widow, 178. 

Avery, Jonathan, 77. 

Anecdotes of Ira Anderson, 
96.— Of Cotton's tavern, 
111-12.— Of Dr. Williams, 
135-6.— Of Dr. Yates, 140. 
—Of Thos. Spencer, 146.— 
Of Bidwell's mill. 155.— Of 
Thaddeus Olmsted, 165 — 
Of Bear Swamp, 182.— Of 
Epaphras Pitkin, 217.— 
Of Wm. Pitkin, 226.— Of 
Wm. Pitkin, 2d, 226.— Of 
Elisha Pitkin, 229. 

Alexander, W., 214. 

Ackley, Elijah, 218. 

Abercrombie, Gen., 228. 

Alden, Maj. J. Dean, 241. 

Alcott, Mr.. 45. 

Abbott, Jolin, 103. 

Arnold, John, 46.-117.- 
Jos., 95. -Mrs., 189. 

Andrus, Wm., 19. 

Andross, Gov., letter to, 54, 
225. 

Ash, George, 57. 

Allyu, John, 155. 

Arts, household. 237. 

Almshouse, 102-3. 

Articlesof Confederation, 86. 

Artillery Company, 199, 201. 
202.— Sword exercise, 170. 

Atkins, Thomas, 57. 



Barnard, Barth., 27, 45, 54.— 
John , 45. 

Barnes, Thomas, 45. 

Bartlett, Robt., 41, 47, 52. 

Blachley, Thos , 45, 57. 

Barding, Nathaniel, 45, 55. 

Base, John, 46. 

Bacon, Andrew, 47. 

Blasphemy, Case of, 53. 

Blauchard, Richard, 57. 

Bragg, Benjamin, 78. 

Barbecues, 89, 182. 

Braiuard, Timothy, 95.— Da- 
vid, 203. 

Baker, Sergt. Heman, 118. — 
William, 203. 

Black cloth for funerals, 119. 

Blackbirds, 234. 

Baptists, 136,146.— Meetings, 
145. 

Bancroft, Stedmau &, 163.— 
James, 167, 218. 

Bathing, by-law, 191. 

Barber, George, 199. 

Bachelorhood, discounte- 
nanced, 232. 

Belts, Widow Abigail, 45, 53. 

Bemont, Levi, 170.— Makens. 
221. 

Beven, Benj., 57. 

Brewer, Reuben, 74, 223.— 
Thos. Jr., 77.— Benj. Jr.. 

77.— Daniel, 77, 214. , 

118. — George, 187. — Jane- 
way, 187.— E. C, 189.— 
Samuel, Jr., 199.— Ashbel, 
199.— S. A., 199.— John, 
203.— Brewer lane, 180. 

Benjamin's tavern, 109, 219. 
—Lane, 169, 222.— John, 77. 
—Jonathan, 105. 132.— Jas., 
105. 

Belding, Ebenezer, 78. 

Beklen, Thomas. 204. 

Benton. Elisha, 85, 132. 221. 

Benton hill, 221. 

Bell, school house, 170.— To 
be rung, 96.— New, 143.— 
Before daybreak. 233. 

Best chaiuber, Wells' tavern, 
109. 

"Bees," road-making, 112. 

Bearers at funerals. 119. 

Bear swamp, 145, 182. 

Bissell, Nath.,33, 69. 

Bidwell. Daniel, 35. 71, 72, 
73, 126, 151, 156.— Euodias, 

36, 111, 235. 221.— Ozias, 

37, 103.— John, 45, 49, 58, 



73, 155, 168, 182.— Thomas, 
156.— Dr. Epaphras, 83, 109, 
222.— Capt. Zebulon, 85. 
— , 117, 221.— John. Jr., 
151.— Joseph, 151.— Timo- 
thy, 160.— Samuel, 169.— 
Daniel, Jr., 182, 183.— M'm. 
lS2.-Chas. M., 191, 221.— 
Moses, 221.— Russell, 221. 
—Jonathan, 221.— Bid- 
well's lane, 50, 73. (See 
Burnside ave.) 

Blise,Thos.Sr.,43,46.-Thos. 
Jr., 4.3, 46. 

Birchwood, Thos., 45. 

Billings, Thos., 47. 

Bridgman, Jas., 47. 

Bissell, Ozias, 77. 

Bisliop, Samuel, 158. 

Bird, Thomas, 179. 

Bigelow, Hall, 188. 

Bigelow, Daniel, 182, 221.— 
William, 220. 

Bridges. 71. — In Hockanum, 
108, 176.— Burnside, 181.— 
Hockanum, 71, 181. — South 
Meadow, 187. — Carried off, 
190. 

Bridge Co., Hartford, 195-7. 

Biers, 119, 119, 119. 

Brick-making, 162. 

Bog wall, 42. 

Boundary extended, 68, 177. 
— Nortiiern, 69, 70.— With 
Five Miles, 75, 80.— With 
Bolton, 75. — Lines run out, 
75-6.— With Glastonbury, 
79. 

Bolton, bounds with, 75. 

Brown, Wm., 77.— Benj., 95. 

Brooker, Abraham, 78. 

Brooks, Peter, l(i2. 

Boston embargo, 82.— Com- 
pany to relieve, 82, 229. 

Boston or Middle turnpike, 
188. 

Boats impressed, 90. — For 
Ferrv, 194, 195.— Horse, 
etc.. 196. 

Boswell, Keeney & Co., 156. 

Boars, town, 234 

Browuell, Dr. Pardon, 160, 
173. 

Boyle, Wm. H., 171, 217. 

Bonds, town, 206. 

Bounties, to soldiers, 86, 206, 
207.— For blackbirds, 234.- 
Wolves, 234. 

Boy of the past, 237-8. 



244 



HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 



Burnham. Thomas, 27, 28, 30, 
33, 45, 53, 59, 6i».— Heirs, 
70, 150-2; 175, 188, 214.— 
John, 28, 185— Juliue, 33, 
53. 188, 214.— John A., 53, 
175.— Richard, 5(i, 151, 181. 
—Samuel, 70, 185.— Asa. 77. 
— Gurdon. 82. — Augustus, 
S;}.— Aaron, 84.— Z. Arthur, 
113. 188, 214.— Phineas, IIG, 
214. — Thomas and Mary, 
IKi.— Geor-j;(3, 120, 221.— 
Thomas, 159, 189, 240.— 
John, Jr., 185.— Jabez, 185. 
—Charles, 185.— Caleb, 185. 
— Cornelius, 214. — Joshua, 
214.— Samuel P., 214.— 
Timothy, 185.- Josejjh, 
186.— Patrick. 218. 

Bnrnham's station, xii. 

Burnhiim's road, 175, 188. 

Burnside, xiv, 154, P. O.. 172. 
— Indians in, 37. — Bridge, 
181.— Public house, 109.— 
School, 166; house, 168, 
172. — District extended, 
169 ; bounds changed, 171 ; 
divided and nnited, 172 ; 
Baptist meetings, 146. 

Burnside Avenue, x, 50, 73, 
176, 182, 220. 

Bnckinwham, Thos., 31, 68. 

Blumaeld, Wm., 43, 46. 

Burr, Benj., 45. 

Burving-Grounds, 114-122.— 
Center, 34, 74, 114-117, 207. 
— Wanted in Burnside, 118. 

Buckland's corners tavern, 
112. 

Buckland, Wm., 56, 73, 179. 
— Chas., 77.-Capt. Steph- 
en, 85.— Elisha, 95.— Timo- 
thy, 189. 203.— House, 222. 

Burton, Rev. Dr., 141, 142. 

Butl'um, Rev. F. H., 142. 

Bull sold, 201.— Town, 234. 

Bull, Joseph, 35, 49, 155.— 
Thomas, 47, 58.— John C, 

216, 217. 

Bunce, Thos., 45. , 117, 

Susanna, 184. 

Butler, Richard. 46. — Moses, 

82.— & Hudson, 160. 
Buckler's tavern, 109, 219. 
Bryant, Timothy, 95. — Eben- 

ezer, 95.— Henry, 170, 216. 
Blue-laws, 231. 

Charter of 1662, 40, 171.— For 

ferrv. 194. 
Case, Thos., 43, 105, 121, 134, 

192, 222.— Richard, 45, 55. 

Austin, 89.— John, 126.— 

, 182. 

Clark, Joseph, 220.— Seth. 

201.— Nich.. 45.— John, 45. 

Andrew, 78.— George, 82.— 

Abraham, 84.— Doctor, 168. 
Callsey, Wm., 45. 
Cadwell, Thomas, 58, 194.— 

Widow, 194.— John, 58, 95, 

184.— 117. 
Caldwell, Capt. John, 205. 
Chandler, Samuel, 77. — Mo- 
ses, 147.— William, 84. 
Grain, Ezra, 78. 
Carter, Joseph, 78. 
Chatfield, Jesse, 78. 
Call, Daniel, 84. 
Chapman, Reuben A., 97, 215, 

217, 219.— Obed, 224. 



Chappel, Geo., 108. 

Carrington, John, 120. 

Catecliism in the public 
schools, 1.39. 

Clancey, Rev. Wm. P.. 148. 

Cardiug-machincs, 160, 161. 

Carver, Joseph, 199. 

Cannons, 201. 

Cady, Jemison, 203. 

Carney, L., 217. 

Captain Jack, 219. 

Canada, Expedition, 228, 228. 

Chaises, 236. 

Cheeney, Benj., 151, 182. — 
Brothers, 1.59. 

Chestnut HiU. 155. 

Chester. Eunice, 227.— Hon. 
Col. John, 227. 

Center District and school- 
houses, 169-170 ; line 
changed, 170. 

Central Avenue, 190. 

Childs, Dr. S. L., 161. 

Chimney-viewers, 212. 

Chittenden, Reuben, 77. 

Cogreuossett, 17. 

Crow, John, 33, 41, 45, 49, .52, 
58, 69, 70, 75, 154, 176, 179, 
214.— John, Jr., 49.— 
Nath'l, 49. 57. 

Crow Hill, 49, 214. 

Cohas, 33; a child of death, 
34. 

Cowles, Goodman, house 
burned, 33.— Dea. Timothv, 
57, 73, 169, 184, 217.— house, 
170, 218.— Dea. Wm., 186, 
217.— Wm. C, 202.— Anson, 
203, 218.— Ashbel, 218.— 
Reuben, 218. 

Cole, Jonathan, 151.— Anna, 
238.— Mr., 47. 

Connecticut river, forded, 
180. 

Connecticut, charter of, 40. 

Congress, encroachments of, 
87. 

Crook, Sarah, 45. ,57. 

Corn well, Wm., 45. 

Constable, 71. 

Commons, wood on, 74, 151. 

Crown Point, expedition, 77- 
78, 228. 

Cone, Daniel, 77. — Stephen, 
95. 

Cotton-mills, 160. 

Cotton, Henry, tavern. 111, 
221.— John, store, 113. 

Corning, Mr., 112, 182. 

Coffins, 119, 120. 

Colleague for Mr. Wood- 
bridge, 127. 

Coloring the meeting-house, 
130. 

Choristers, 132. 

Crosby, David, 135. 

Cooley, Dr. Wra., 204. 

Cockburn, Admiral, squad- 
ron, 141. 

Conference room, 143. 

Clock, tower, 143. 

Copper-mines, 149, 151, 157. 

Clothiers' works, 156, 160, 
162, 216, 218, 226. 

Comstock, Perez, 161.— Wm. 
G., 217. 

Colt's ferry, 162. 

Cook, Aaron, 179. 

Corbett, Wm., 183. 

Composer, Timothy Olm- 
sted, 219. 



Cow lane, 221. 

Church, Richard, 45.— James, 

1.50. 
Cullet [Cullickr], Mr., 46. 
Curtis, Geo., 161. 
Customs and laws. 231. 240. 
Church membership, 232. 

Day. Robert. 45. 

Davis. Steplien, .55. 

Daton, Jose[)h. 78. 

Dances, French, 89 ; social, 
170. 

Darlin, George W., 113, 223. 

Draft, 1813, 203, 205.-1863- 
(15, 206-7. 

Drafted men, list of. 211. 

Deminc, Timothv, ix, 192, 
203, 204.— David, 220. 

Deertield. assailed, 72. 

Dewey, Nathl., 77. 

Democrats, a sturdy few, 96. 

Disbroe, Nich., 45, 55. 

Dix, John, 56. 74, 178. 

Dibble. Josiah, 57. 

Dickerson, Daniel. 129, 151. 
—Joseph, 143. 

Dignifying the meeting- 
house. 129; verses on, 132. 

Dinah. 235. 

Dowd, Thomas, x, 200. 

Dowd's grove, 47, .52, 214. 

Dodge. Wm., Jr., 78. 

Dutch Point, 19, 20, 38. 

Drunkenness, fined for, 49, 
55. 

« 

Easton, .\gis, x, 147, 177.— 
Joseph, '41, 44, 45, 47, 56, 
73, 224.— John, 56, ISO.— 
James, 73.^Silas, 84, 167. 
Timothy, 1.51.— Sam'l, 151. 
—Daniel, 203.-222. 

Easton's hollow, drained, 75. 

East Hartford, description, 
xii (see Town); center, 
xiv; part of Hartford, 38; 
early bounds. 41. extended, 
68; no Indian deed, 40; 
settled, 48 ; bounds with 
Five Miles, 75. 80, 151, 153; 
with Bolton, 75 ; ferry and 
contest with Bridge Co., 
194-197 ; town history, 92- 
101 ; incorporated, 93 ; first 
meeting, 94 ; first officers, 
95 ; division of property, 
etc 95 

East Hartford Mannf'g Co., 
xiv, 1.55, 1,56. 

East Glastonbury road, 190. 

Evans. Benoni, 77, 83.— Mo- 
ses, 77. — Samuel, Jr., 77. — 
Samuel, 77.— Marvin, 203. 
— Orrin, 203.-229. 

Edwards, Thos., 30, 176, 177. 

Epliraiins, Ezra, 78. 

Earthquake, sermon on, 138. 

Equality, Pomp, 179, 224. 

Ecclesiastical Society, first 
(3d of Hartford), 59, 124- 
145; functions. 59, 124 ; set 
oft", 125 ; bounds, 125, 143 ; 
opposes Orford, 153. 

Ecclesiastical History, 123- 
148. 

Election sermons, 127, 138. 

Eells, Mr., 226. 

Eliot, John, preaches to In- 
dians, 26. 

Elmore, G., killed, 33. 



INDEX. 



245 



Elmer, Edward, 43, 45.— 

Thos. ,186.— Oliver W., 251. 

—117. 
Ely, Nathaniel, 45. 
Ensign, James, 47. — Ralph, 

53, 178.— Moses, Jr., 199, 

203.— 118. 
El^er, Abner, 77. 
Epitaphs, 85, 116-17 ; by Dr. 

Williams, 139; on Gov. 

Pillvin, 227 -S. 
Episcopal Societies, 147. 
Eldridge, Eri, 189. 
Ellington road, 188. 
ElmsT street, 90, 192-93. 
Elm brook, 191. 
Eddy lot, 214. 

Franklin, Daniel, 78. — Gov. 
Wm., 86, 90.— Thomas C, 
199. 

Flagg, Dr. Samuel, 98, 104, 
105. 115, 319, 236. 

Fairchild, Rev. Joy H., 140, 
202. 

Faruham, Andrevr, 163. 

Pares, on lerry, 194. 

Fence, meadow, 43, 54 ; view- 
ers, 44, 70 ; protected, 191 ; 
68, 177. 

Ferry, Connecticut river, 58, 
93, 95, 194-7; two, 195; 
Sunday, 143, 222; over 
floods, 190. 

Ferry road siraiijhtened, 187. 

French and Indian war, 77; 
neutral French. 79. 

French here in Revolution, 
88-91, 229 ; place of camp, 
241. 

French, Ichabod, 78. 

Freemen, admission of, 234. 

Five miles, purchase, 31, 68, 
149: settled, 74; bounds, 
75; preaching in, 79, 143: 
made Parish of Orford, 80, 
143 (which see) ; taken 
possession of, 150 ; division 
of, 150-152 ; ditference 
about, 150 ; encroach- 
ments, 151 ; survey, 152 ; 
school in, 167. 

First Society, 143 (see Ecc'l 
affairs). 

Fitch, James, Jr., 31, 68.— 
Joseph, 69.— Govern'r,227. 

Fireplaces, taxed, 212. 

Port Hill, 18, 21, 23. 

Ports, etc., .32, 34, 72, 213. 

Fort Henry, sermon, 1,38. 

Forbes, Mr., 36.— James, 57, 
183.— David, 74, 165 — Uan- 
mer &, siv, 49, 154, 156, 
156, 157. — Daniel, 74.— 
Captain Moses, 95.— 118, 
222.— Uncle Hick, 12().— 
Wm., 151.— Mahlon, 168, 
172. — Elijah. 189. — Timo- 
thy, 199.- Chas. 199. 

Fox, Gideon, 78.— Jedediah, 
78. — 117, 162. — Leonard, 
203. 

Foxen, 24, 28. 

Flora, 103. 2;55, 235. 

Frog Brook, 108, 177. 

Forge, the, mills, 157, 158. 

Foot stoves, 72. 

Funeral customs, 118-120. 

Funeral, a queer, 122. 

Fulling mills, 156 (see mills). 



Glastonburv, South, .32 ; line, 
79. 

Garrison houses, 32, 49, 53. 
69. 

Gaines, Simon, 77.— Sergt. 
Samuel, 45, 55, 168. 

Grant, Setli, 45. 

Garrad, Daniel, 45. 

Grave, George, 46. 

Grave-stones, study of, 116, 
117. 

Graves, isolated, 118. 

Gardner, Samuel, 47. 

Grain, etc., as currency, 87, 
126. 134. 

Grand list, 1769 and 1774, 92. 

Galleries in meeting-house, 
129, 131. 

Grace Church, 147. 

Glass factories, 158, 160. 

Great Hills, xiii. 

Geunings, John, 45. 

Geer, G'en. Elihu, 300. 

Gleason, Stephen, 203. 

Greensmith, Nathl. and Re- 
becca, 238-9. 

Gilbert, Corp. Jonathan, 26, 
28, 1.55. 

Gilbert's Island, 109, 179, 180. 

Gilmau, Solomon, 28, 150, 
152.— Richard, 73. 151, 167, 
187. — Epaphras, 83.— Benj . , 
84.- George,95, 217.— Capt. 
John, 118, 167.— Sergt. Ell- 
as, 218.— Ralzaman, 218.— 
218. 

Gilman's landing, 188. 

Griswold, Dr. Geo., 37, 103, 
105, 153.— Gen. Shubael, 
97-8, 110, 156, 158, 200, 219. 
—Capt. Josiah, 204.— Gov. 
Roger, 226. 

Gibbuis, Wm., 46, 55. 

Gridley, Thos., 46. 

Griflin, Wm., 84. 

Goodwin, Heury L.,xi. — Mrs. 
Edward S., xi.— Edw'd O., 
xi, 219.— William, .39, 45, 
49, 54, 154. 184.— Elizabetli, 
49.— Nathl., 58.— John, 58, 
73-74, 104, 114, 184, U:i(i.— 
Ozias, 58, 325. --Levi, 84, 
95, 109, 199, 217.— Joseph, 
89, 96, 115, 11.5, 192. 216.— 
Dea. Geo..96, 147.— George, 
1,56.— Caleb, 106, 184, 216.— 
Richard, 111.— Samuel O , 
store, 113, 192, 216.— Capt. 
Joseph. 120, 192, 199. 315. 
— Hezekiah, 120.— Edward 
S., 130.— Rev. Patrick, 148. 
—Goodwin & Co., 154 — 
Goodw'in & Hudson, 156. 
—John, Jr., 184.— Daniel, 
185, 186.— Andrew K., 202. 
— Bucklaud, 317.— Hannah, 
225.— Slaves of, 234. 

Goodman, Richard, 45, 57. 

Government, early, 231. 

Goose pond, story of, 165. 

Guns, sold, 96 ; cast, 157 ; old 
time, 233. 

Guernsey, Lewis, 121. 

Guards, at meeting, 2.33. — 
Guard duty. 233. " 

Gulf, the, formed, 190 ; error 
corrected, 243. 

Hayden, Henry R., xi, 110. 
—William, 45, 58.— Dea. 



Edward, 163.- Edward W., 
190. 

Haynes, Mr. John, 41. 46. 

Hanmer. Francis, xi.— ifc 
Forbes Co., xiv, 49, 1.54.— 
& Forbes, 154, 156, 156, 
157.— William, 147, 190. 

Hazard Powder Co., xiv, 157. 

Hartford, settled, 38-39 ; 
bounds, 38; extended, 68; 
called Newtown, 39: deed 
of land, 39 ; line with 
Windsor, 70; with Glas- 
tonbury, 79 ; opposes set- 
oft', 93; York sent to. 103. 

Hartford Bridge Co., 195-197. 

Hat factories, 160, 161, 216. 

Hall. Samuel, 45, 57.— Thos., 
45.— John, 46.— Dr. Timo- 
thy, 104, 105, 300, 236, 3.36.— 

Hallaway, John, 45. [118. 

Hart, Stephen, 45. 

Haywards, 55, 70. 

Hamlin, John, 75. 

Harding, Israel, 78. — Thos. 
H., 147. 

Hamilton, Gen., 86 — Alex- 
ander, 88. 

Half-covenant, 124. 

Hale, Benoni, 134.— Joseph, 
160. 

Haseltine, John, 1.51, 18:^, 223. 

Harris, Thos , 155. 

Hallet, tannery, 161. 

Harrison, Mrs. Lucinda, 174. 

Harrington. Edward P.. 203. 

Handel, Philip, 223. 

Hearses, 118, 118, 130 ; house, 
118. 

Hermits, 219, 219 

Hill, Wm., 32, 33, 46, 48,52, 
57, 70, 198, 214. 

Hills, Lieut. Joua, 35. .36, 72, 
74, 126, 143. 3J3, 233, 234.— 
John, 57, 70, 166.— Ebene- 
zer, 74.— David, 95.— Benj., 
109. 183, 332 —Dudley, 109. 
—Capt., 112.— 117, 118.— 
George, 147.— Capt. Jona., 
land, 152.— Abraham, 167 
— Samnel,183.— Ashbel,188. 
—Martin O., 202.— Leon- 
ard, 203.— Edwin C, 221. 

Hills' mill, 160. 

Hilliard's mills, 160. 

Hillyer. Maj. Drayton, 341. 

Hide, Wm.. 45, 55. 

Higginson, John, 45. 

Hoadley, Chas. J., x. 

Horse R. R. Co., xii. 

Horses and mules shipped, 
304. 

Hockanum, river, xiii, 49, 56, 
154, 158, 160, 161.- pound, 
43, 45, 46. — District, xv ; 
school, 165: houses, 167, 
168; nam-i changed, 173. — 
Bridges, 43, 71, 108, 181.— 
Meadow, .38. 43 : fence. 44. 
— M E. Soc'y, 147.— Eccl. 
S()c'y,148. — Causeway. 181. 

Holmes, Lieut., 17, 30, 38.— 
Rev. T. J., 131, 142.— Henry 
U.,188. 

Hollister, John, 32.— Lieut. 
Thos., 33. 

Holton, Wm., 47. 

Hooker, Mr., 46.— Thos., 39, 
and 39, line 23, instead of 
John.— Nath'l, 114. 



246 



HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 



Ilopkini-, ^Ir., 46. — John, 4G. 
Hosiner, Thoi?., 46. 47, 152.— 

('apt. Sti^phen, 152. 
Hop Brook, 58, 109, 155, 168. 
Homan. Pfter, 78. 
Horse Neck, defent^e of, 87. 
Home lil'e of Dr. Williams. 

136-7. 
Houses, Dr. Williams', 137; 

earlv, 175: old, chapter on, 

212-224. 
Household arts, 237. — goods, 

50-51. 
Houghten, Wm., 178. 
Hubbard. George, 46. — Hon. 

R. U., 98,174, 241. 
Hull, Lemuel, 77.— Ezckiel, 

7fs. 
Hiulsou & Goodwin, 156, 156; 

mill, 15(i. 
Hudson, Butler &, 160. 
Hughes, Robert, 158. 
Hurd & Perkins, 163. 
Hurlburt. John, 82, 95, 106, 

118, 167, 218.— Samuel, 83, 

105, 106, 109, 221 —Joseph, 

106.— Jared, 181. 
Hutchius, Edward, 78. 

Inhabitants, admitted by 
vote. 41, 234; chapter on, 
48-67; alphabetical list of, 
.59-(i7. 

Indians, chapter on, 17-37; 
Mohawks, 54, 925 ; woman, 
103; cider, sold to, 107; 
wigwam, 222 ; alarms, •>.Vi. 

Inventory, estate of Richard 
Risley, .50. 

Inoculation with small-po.x;, 
104 6. 

Industries in Five Miles, 1.52, 
1.54-163. 

Island road, 175. 188. 

Inns (-ee Public Houses). 

Iron slitting, etc., 157. 

Januis, :io. 

■lamstoue Plain, 150. 168. 

Jack, 235. 

Jin. 235. 

Johnnot, 33. 

Johnson, Col. Kichard M., 

Ill, 202, 241.— Gen. Wm., 

78. 
Jones, 84, 117.— John P., Ill, 

224.— Joseph P., Ill, 199, 

202, 224, 242.- William, 202. 

— James, 'i7. — Amos, 78. 
Joshua. 30. 53.— lands, 31, 6^^. 
Judd, Thos., 46. 
Jupiter, 103. 

Keeler, Ralph, 47. 

Keeuey, Alexander, 55, 77, 
168. — Richard, 57. — Joseph, 
74, 77.— John, 77.— Benj.. 
77.- Thos., 78.-117, 117. 
— T., 188.— Hosea, 188.- 
David, Jr., 203. 

Kellogg, Nathaniel, 45. 

Kelsey, Reuben, 78. -Aaron, 
78. 

Kendall, Polly, 120, 220. 

Kennedy, Sam'l, 84. — John, 
202.— 117. 

Kentfield, 118. 

Kllbourne, Alfred, xi. — Al- 
fred E., 19.— James, 82.— 
Thos., 74, 184.— Russell, 95. 
—John, 183. • 



Kimball. Dr., will, 119.— 

Ebenezer P., 201, 202. 
King, Gideon, 77. 

Labor, price of, 2.32. 

Ladders, roof, 212. 

Lake (Jeorge, battle, 78. 

Land, bought of Indians, 39, 
40; division of, 40; shares 
in, 41 ; owners must settle, 
41 ; divided, 42 ; lor poor 
men, 42: grants to mills, 
43. 154-1.55; Indian, fenced. 
43; waste divided, 44; 3 
miles divided, 44-47; Po- 
duuk, .53, 69; equivalent, 
59, 70, 150; Five Miles di- 
vided, 149-152: survey of 
part of Five Miles, 1,52. 

Landing place, 179, 180. 
Gilman"s, 188. 

Latyraore, John, 43, 47. 

Law, Madam, 227.— Jona- 
than, 227. 

Laws, customs, etc., 231-240. 
—Capital, 231. 

Lawrence, John, 82. 

Lafayette, Gen., tour of, 88, 
91, 110. 

Lay (Leary ?), Edward, 46. 

Lyman, Elihu, 78. — Richard, 
47. 

Leah, 235. 

Lecture, week-day, 233. 

Ledyard, John, 82.— Watson 
cV', 1.58. 

Lester, Chauncey, ix. 111, 
187, 189, 224.— Isaac, '.t6, 
146, 162.— 118. 

LiebigMfg. Co., 162. 

Ijining the Psalms, i;32. 

Li II, 235. 

Lister, east side, 76. 

Little, Lieut. David, 222.— 
118. 

Little River, bridge in Hart- 
ford, 194. 

Long Hill, xiii.— District, 
171 : bounds changed, 171 ; 
made union district, 171. — 
Road, 190. 

Looms, 237. 

Loomis, Benoni, 77. — Maj. 
Henry A., 241. 

Lord, John Havnes, 152. — 
Mary, 2-^7.- Rfchard, 227. 

Lotteries granted, 158, 158. 

Mann, Benj ,45. 

Manchester, 38, 149-153 (see 
Orford). — Green, 112. — 
companies, 199, 200. 

Main street, 68, 71, 177, 178. 

McAloon, Patrick, 113. 

McMahou, Rev. John T., 148. 

Map of town, referred to, x. 

Marble, Ebeuezer G.. 203. 

Marsh. 117.— John, 45, 71, 
181.— Daniel, 82. 

Marvin, Nath'l, 45, 54. 

Mason, Maj., 29, 

Mashinott, 33. 

Masseeckcuj). 40. 

Matross company, 201. 

Mawley, Timothy, 84. 

May, George, 189. 

Maynard. John, 45. 

Meadow District, xv. 170. 

Ale.idows. lilledup, 179 ; road 



north in, 175, 180, 188.- 
training field, 198. 

Mead. Rev. Asa, 140. 

Meakius, Lieut. John, 45, 
55, 73, 75, 151, 156, 182.— 
Joseph, 115.— Eusiau, Sam- 
uel. 1.51, 182.— house, 220. 

Meniorial day, 208. 

Menageries, 110. 

Mentor, Simeon, 78. 

Menowniett's examination, 
33. 

Meeting-house, 71, 126 ; first, 
129; second, 129-1:M, 144; 
new, 96, 143; three, 143; 
Spencer st., 146; Hock- 
anum M. E., 147; Burn- 
side M. E.,147; Episcopal, 
147; Catholic. 148; Hock- 
anum Eccl. Soc'y, 118; in 
Orford, 153. 

Merriman, Joseph, 72, 219. 

Meridetb, Rev. Richard, 142. 

Merrow, houses, 219; barn, 
201. 

Metcalf house, 220. 

Methodists, 145, 146. 

McKey, 117. 

Middle turnpike. 188. 

Mills, saw, 154, 160, 160, 160, 
161, 163; in Five Miles, 71, 
151; land for, 49, 71, 2;S7; 
near meeting-house. 144; 
Burnside, etc.,l,54-163,22(i ; 
fulling, 156, 162, 182, l,s3, 
226; oil, 156, 160; snull'. 
1.57 ; paper, 154-8, 1(!0, Kit) ; 
cotton, 160, 160; grist, 154, 
156, 156, 160, 160. 161, 161-, 
163; nail, 160, 161 ; pow- 
der, 155, 157, 157, 160; 
woolen, KiO ; plaster, 161 ; 
shoddy, 162; sorghum, 163. 

Mill road, north, l!S7, 189; 
south, 189. 

Mill street, x, 163. 

Mill district (see Burnside). 

Miller, Amariah, 156. 

Mcintosh, Dr. L. W., 162. 

Military afl'airs. 198-211 ; 
French and Indian war, 
77-8; sword exercise, 170; 
review of 1843, 241 ; colors 
bought, 201, 234. 

Ministers, 71, 73. 125, 126, 
134. 141-143; house, 126; 
pew, 127, 130: " hotel," 
145, 229; to have land, 149. 

MtCook, Rev. John J., 147. 

Mohawks, 25. 225. 

Monroe, President, 110, 192. 

Moody, John, 47, 2.34. — 
Chas. C, 182. 

More, Philip, 57. 

Moore, Arthur P., 129, 215. 

Morse, Luke, 111 ; hotel, 224. 

Mudge, Jeruise, 43. 

Mulcahy. Rev. J. A., 148. 

Mun.'er, Rev. T. T., 143. 

Murder, in Manchester, 112. 

Music. Sundays, 131. 

Muster roll, 1755, 77; days. 
110. Ill, 205. 

McClure, Rev. David, 139. 

Mygatt, Jacob, 27, 53, .54.— 
Joseph, 46. 

Nail cutting, 160, 161. 
Nando. 2:55. 
Narragansett war. 31, 09. 



INDEX. 



247 



Naubuc, garrison, 33, 69 ; 108, 
161. ^ 

Nayage, 32. 

Nelson, Mr., Baptist preach- 
er, 146. 

Nessaheatren, 29. 

Newell, Rev. Samuel, 121', 
134. 

New London turnpike, 187. 

New London, defended, 203. 

Newtown, called Hartford, 
39. 

Nipmucks, 31. 

Niantics, western, 30. 

Nichols, Capt. Cyprian, 71. 
114, ISl.— Johu,"78. 

Non-importation measures. 
82. 

Noonings, Sundays, 144-.'5, 
238. 

Norton, Selah, 82, 105, 132, 
236.— Job, 82. 

North District and school- 
houses, 170. — bounds 
chani^ed, 171. 171. 

North Meadow Road, x, 176, 
179-180. 

Organ, in meeting-house, 143. 

Olmsted, Aaron (r., .x, xi, 152, 
217,217.— Dr. H.K.,x, xi.— 
Col. Chas. H., X, 52, 202.— 
Dea. Joseph, 35, 72, 73, 125, 
127, 165, 181. 215.— Geo. J., 
36, 192.— Jolm. 45.— James, 
45, 132.— Richard, 45, 73, 
151.— Timothy, 82, 218.— 
Wm . 82. 215.— Ashbel, 1(52, 
181,215.— Nath'l, 82.— Epa- 

' phra8,82, 90,215.— Gideon, 
83-4. 215.— Capt. Aaron, 84. 
215, 236.— Stephen, 85, 167. 
—Geo., 95, 95, 161. -Jon- 
athan.95, 215.— John L., 98, 
109, 219.— Ralph A.. 109, 
178, 217. -Wra.H..161,216. 
218.— Asahel, 82, 1(51.- Col. 
Giles, 161, 202, 202. 203. 
220.— Thaddeus, 165.— Col. 
Solomon, 171, 173. 202, 202, 
217.— Eli, 199.- Elihii, 215. 
— Persiu8,215. — Col. Aaron 
F., 202.— Horace B.. 221.— 
house, 220.— land, 152.— 
slaves, 2.34. 

Oldham, Capt., killed, 20. 

Omnibus, xlii. 

Oil Mills, 1.56 (see mills). 

Orford, Parish of (see Five 
Miles) ; town meetings 
there, 90, 153; set off. 80, 
143.— account of, 149-153.— 
collector in, 153.— made 
Manchester (which see), 
153. — mills in, 1.57 (see 
mills). 

Ordinaries (see public 
houses). 

Orchard street, x, 190. 

Overton, Delos, .52, 214. 

Owen, Gen. Geo. C, 241. 

Ocole, old, 106. 

Olcott, Mr.,45.— Lieut.Thos., 
58, 73, 75, 109, 166.— John, 
73.— Sidney, 109.— Josiah, 
152.— Samuel, 179, 180, 180. 
-land, 152.-117, 168. 

Old red store, 112, 188. 

Pratt, Geo. W., xi. .37, 222.— 



Wm., 45.— John, 45, 234. 
Jona., 73, 144, 1()7, 222.— 
Aaron, 77.— Gen. James T., 
202, 2^11.- Luther, 113.— 
Geo. E., 191.— Eliab, 222. 

Park, Raymond, xv, 220. 

Parker, Wm., 45,.54.— Elisha, 
77.— Rev. Dr. E. P., 136. 

Parties, old time, 110. 

Pantry, Wm., 41.— John, 45, 
58, 74, 114, 180. 

I'antry's pond, 187. 

Paper mills (see mills). 

Parsons, Sarah, 230. 

Pardee, Dwight W.,241. 

Pasco, Amos, 19!t. 

Piant.on meeting-house site. 
145. 

Psalmody. 132. 

Pebbles, Watson, 223. 

Peck, Paul, 47. 

Pekoath, 20. 

Perpetual motion, 162. 

Perce. John, 47. 

Pest-house. 104-106. 

Perkins, Hurd a;, 163. -Ed- 
gar, 173.— place. 214. 

Pewter Pot Brook, 41, KiO. 

Preaching in Five Miles, 152 ; 
other, 145. 

Prescott, Gen., 86. 

Phelps, Samuel G., 77, 201, 
219.— Henry, 110, 120, 121, 
220.— Geo. S., 120. 121, 122, 
144.— Edward, 121.— SaPn, 
174.— Store. 220. 

Pigeon Hill, 36, 5.3, 214. 

Pirate Hill, xiii. 170. 

Pillions, 145, 2.36. 

Pitch-pipe. 131. 

Phillips. Wm., 45. 

Pitkin Paniilv, 81, 225-.30.— 
Wm., 27. 3o", 44, 45, 49, 54, 

70, 124, 1.56, 164, 176, 179, 
182. 213, 225, 226.— Elisha. 
Esq., 49, 89, 95, 103, 105, 
115, 115, 144, 1-14, 145, 157, 
158, 161, 18(1, 199, 201, 216, 
229, 2.34, 235, 236, 236.— Han- 
nah. 57, 119. — Capt. Roger, 
58, 70, 73, 184, 227.— Col. 
John, 73, 77, 82, 183, 186, 
199, 217, 228.— Capt. Ozias, 
75, 119, 184, 199, 226.— Col. 
Joseph, 78, 82, 127, 143, 156, 

157, 182, 183, 183, 199, 216. 
226, 227, 229.— Geu. Samuel 
L.,82, 97, 144, 199,199,200, 
217, 225, 228, 230. 235.— Col. 
George. 82, 94, 157. 162, 199, 
204, "217, 229, 235. 236.— 
John, Jr., 84, 199, 199, 236. 
— Wm. (4th), 86, 95, 157, 

158, 217, 22;S, 235.— Daniel, 
94, 95, 95, 102. 109, 111, 113, 
223, 224.-Capt. Richard, 

94, 95, 95.— Ashbel, 95, 216. 
Richard, Jr., 95.- David, 

95, 216.— Maj. Samuel, 97, 
102, 202. 217, 229, 236.— Mrs. 
Samuel, 230.— Jonat'n, 102. 
—Gov. Wm , 117, 138. 156. 
184, 199, 216, 221), 227.— 
Capt. John. 122, 199, 213, 
217, 226.— Wm. (2d), 34, 35. 

71, 72, 73, 75, 125, 1.56, 165, 
181, 199, 213, 226, 226, 227, 
228.— Capt. James, 230.— 
Col., 1.52.— Elisha, Jr., 157. 
158.— J. R., 158.— Samuel, 



& Co., 160.— A. P., 161.— J. 
11. & W. L., 163.— Capt., 
132. 1<J5.— Nathl., 184.— Ad- 
dison, 186.— Martin. 199.— 
Geo.Jp.,202.— Natlian,202, 
216,218.— Walter, 216.— Da- 
vid, 21().— Dr. Edward, 216, 
235.— Geo., 216.— Charles, 
216, 218. -Epaphras. 21(>.— 
Roger (2d), 217.— Joshua, 
217.-Ezekiel, 217.— Den 
nison, 217.— Osmvn, 217.— 
Leonard T., 220 —Martha, 
225, 226. —Roger. 226.— 
Widow Abigail, 2.36.— In 
Manchester, 217. 

Pitkin's Palls, and Mills. 154, 
1.56, 157, 187. ' 

Privateers, 83-84, 204. 

Prison ships, 85, 204. 

Prisoners of war, 86, 90, 193. 

Pockhouse Hill, 104-5. 

Podunk. 38.— River, 17, 18, 
42.— Meadow, 44. — Indians, 
17-37. 

Pomp Equality, 179, 224. 

Population, 1774, 81, 92. 

Popo, 28. 

Poor, town's, 93, 102-3, 104. 
—House, 102. 

Porter, Wm. S., 44, 52.— 
Thos.,47.— Hezekiah,74.— 
Joseph H., 108, 177.— Wm., 
202.— David, 223.— Ira W., 
177.— John, 147.— 117, 118, 
223.— Land, 1.52. 

Post, Stephen, 45. 

Pounds, 42, 45, 46, 70. 

Poudrette fact'y, 162. — Lane, 
217. 

Powder Mills, 155, 157, 157. 

Prospect St., x, 176.— North, 
181.— No. 2, 190. 

Provisions, embargoed, 86. 

Public Houses, 58, 74, 75, 107- 
113, 202, 217, 219, 219, 221, 
222 223. 224, 242. 

Piircas, John, 45, 55. — Eliza- 
beth. .55. 

Puritans, a word for, 123. 

Punishments, 76, 231-2.32, 
233. 

Putnam, Stillman, 181. 218. 

Plymouth House, 17, 20, 38. 

Quanampewet, 30. 
(Quebec, sermon, 188. 

Ravmond, Albert C, xi, xv, 
120, 217, 220.— Park, xv, 220. 

Raiment, Amos, 77. 

Rannev, J. H., 190. 

Rag-toes, 198. 

Rathbun, Sala J., 203.— Eras- 
tus, 203. 

Ryant, John, 78. 

R"ebellion, war of, 205-211. 

Redfield, Peleg, 77.— James, 
78. 

Refreshments at funerals, 
119. 

Representatives, how cho- 
sen, 97 ; list of, 98. 

Revolution, 81-91, 229. 

Review of 1843, 202, 241. 

]{eynolds, John, 82.— George, 
122.— Capt. Amherst, 202, 
203, 220. 

Richards, Thos., 46. 

Richardson, L. D., 216, 228. 



248 



HISTORY OF EAST HARTFORD. 



Riley. Walter A., x. 

Risloy, Richard, 41, 47, 50.— 
Sarah, 51.— Samuel. .51. 
Richard Jr., 51, 52.— John, 
74.— Thop.,74.— Levi. 85.— 
Timothy, 189. 22-2.—Elish:i. 
li)!>, 2.3(i.— Harvey. 2(«.— 
Horace, ■.:04.— Jonat'n, 232. 
Erie, 222.— 118, 232. 

Ritter, Mr.. 169. 

Roads, 71, 175-191; primi- 
tive. 175; repairs ol'. 190: 
let out. 190; by-laws, 191 ; 
— Near Willow brook. 178- 
9.— South to Bolton. 183.— 
North to Bolton, 184-5.- 
Alons^ Windsor bounds, 
185-186.— "New," in Po- 
dunk, 18C.— To Pratt's ter- 
rv, 187.- Old ferry straight- 
ened, 187.- Elliu<;lon. 188. 
— Prom Jacob Williams, 
188.— From mills to Silver 
Lane, 189.— North from 
Bridge Road, 189.— Hills- 
town, south, 189. — In Mea- 
dow, 189.— In South Mea- 
dow, 189, 189.— On Neck, 
189.— Mill, north, 189.— A 
right-ofway, 221.— other 
roads, 190. 

Roberts, Martha, x.— Tra T.. 
xi.— Ozias. 33, 49, 98. 144. 
204, 214, 215.— Wm., 56, 57, 
73, 83, 215.— Dorothy, 57.— 
Benj., 57, 99, 104, 135, 145, 
183, 161, 215.— John, S3.— 
Elijah, 84.— Ashbel, 89, 223. 
—Jason, 89.— Jerusha. 99. 
— Hezekiah, 104, 145. 215.— 
Wm., 114.— Jona., 132, 199. 
George, 144, 215.— Joseph, 
151, 184.— Samuel, 169, 187. 
Osmyn, 178.— Frank, 214, 
222.-118, 223. 

Rochambeau, Count dc, 88, 
229, 241. 

Rogers, Stephen, 82. 

Rood, Rev. John, 71, 126. 

Root, Thos., 45, .50.— Jas., 
house, 162, 217, 229. 

Rooley, Thos., 78. 

Rowley, Israel, 78. 

Roman Catholic Soc'y, 148. 

Rose, 235. 

Ross, Wm., 77. 

Roxbury, Company to, 82, 
229. 

Ruscoe, Wm., 45. 

Sables, John, 46. 
Sadler, John. 108, 177. 
Sage, John, 202. 
Sailors, many once, 204. 
Salaries, ministers, 143. 
Salt, quota of, 86. 
Sand ford, (5oodwife, 56. 
Saw-mills (see mills). 
Saw-Mill River (see Ilocka- 

num). 
Sargent. Wm., 216. 
Slater, John O., 203. 
Slaves, 103; seats, 130; 131. 

2313, 234-236. 
Slavery, abolished, 236. 
Small-pox, hospital, 104-106 : 

graves, 118. 
Spar Mill Swamp, 155. 
Squatters, in Five Miles, 74. 
Standift, Josiah, 77. 



Stage coaches, 110. 

Stager, Edward F., 221. 

Stanley. Wm. M., x, xi, 170, 
218, 218.— Hon. Caleb, 45, 
226.— Thomas, 45.— Wm.. 
73. 218.— Nath'l, 75.— Tlieo- 
dore, 82,95, 96, 218.— Jon- 
athan, 94, 95, 95, 105, 134, 
158, 235.— Elisha, 98, 218.— 
Martin, 161. 199, 216 —Col. 
Ashbel, 199. 218.- James, 
218.— Elizabeth, 226.— 
Clothiers' shop, 162. 

Stanton, Thomas, 45.— Wm., 

St. Mary's church, 148. 
State appropriation for 

schools, 172. 
Strangers, 232. 
Soacut, 29. 
Seating the meeting-house, 

129, 129-30. 131; verses, 

132; seats for guards, 233. 
Second North District and 

school-houses, 170 ; bounds 

changed, 171. 
Second South District school 

houses, 167, 168; bounds 

changed, 168. 
Secret cellar, 222. 
Selectmen, east side, 81; first, 

94, 95 ; by ballot, 97 ; list 

of, 100 ; license liquors, 112; 

called townsmen, 234. 
Sentry, Sunday, 72, 233; in 

forts, 72. 
Selden, Thos., 47. 
Sequassen, 23, 39. 
Servants, run-away, 35 ; 59. 
Sermons, Dr Williams', 1.38. 
Settlements, 38, 39. 
Settlers, chapter on, 48 ; list 

of, 59-67; in Five miles, 

1,52. 
Sewers, orchard St., 191 ; in 

Burnside, 191. 
Seymour. Lt., Col.T. H., 241. 
Sextons, 120-122. 
Sheat, 17. 

Shepard, Jona., 78. 
Shields, Daniel, 78. 
Skeleton, exhumed, 18, 191. 
Spectre, 240. 
Spencer, Ralph G., xi, 221.— 

Thos., 45, 52, 84, 109, 1.56, 

183, 220.— Widow, 45, 50, 55. 

—John, 73, 84.— Judah, 78. 

—John, Jr., 199.— Joseph, 

130.— Thos., 146.— Thos., 

Jr., 151. — Disbrowe, 1.51. — 

Timothy, 168.— Silas, 169. 

James, 199.— Col. N. W.. 

202.— Solomon, 203.— 117, 

222. 
Spencer Hill, xiii, — street, 

222. — street burying- 

ground. 117. — meeting- 
house, 140. 
Steele, John, 39. 
Stebbins, Edward, 45. 
Stevens, Jeremiah, 77. — 

Thos., 78.— Abraham, 78. 

— Aaron, 78. 
Stedman, Timothy, 95. — 

Nathan, 95.— & Bancroft, 

163.— Reuben, 203. 
Steeple to meeting-house, 

130. 
Stewart, John, 220. 
Shipyard, l(i9. 



Shipman, Horace, 202. 

Sidewalks, protected, 191 ; 
built, 191. 

Sign-posts, 76, 232. 

Sigourncv. Mrs., 230. 

Silk culture, 158, 160; mills, 
159 

Silver Lane, x, 89, 90, 109, 
183-4. 

Simons. The, 168. 

Singers' seats, 130, 131. 

Sisson, Benj., 109, 222. 

Skinner, John, 45. 

Smith, Russell, 222.— John 
B., 217, 229.— Arthur. 4(!.— 
Giles. 47.— Philip, 73, 74, 
108.— Capt. Samuel, 95, 95. 
— Nehemiah, 146, 189, 222. 
— Widow Simeon, 147. — 
Samuel, 151, 183.— Lewis, 
203.— Hon. John C, 20r>. 

Smith's lane, 49, 214, 215. 

Spinning wheels and reels. 
237. 

Spirituous liquors, 107-113. 

Spring, Rev. Dr. Samuel, 
140-142, 205.; ancestry, &c., 
141. 

Stiles, President, induction 
of, 139. 

Swine, restricted, 43; dam- 
age by, 56. 

Solomon's river, xiii. 

South East District, xv, 169, 
172. 

South Middle District, 169. 
172. 

South Middle Burying 
Ground. 117. 

South Burviug Ground, 117. 

South .Meadow Road, x, 187. 

South Windsor, prisoners in. 
86, 90. 

Sounding-board, 130. 

Societies, four, 146. 

Sorghum mill, 163. 

Soldiers, provision for, 86-7: 
quota, how filled, 87 ; mon- 
ument, 117, 207; Record, 
207; lists of, 77, 82, 199, 
202, 203, 208-211. 

Sowgonosk, ,30. 

Scott, Thomas. 45.— Matilda, 
236. 

Scott's swamp, 45. 

Scotland, xiv, see Burnside. 

Scout, Maj. Treat's, .31. 

Scoville, Abner, 78. 

Schools. ,"i 1, 164-174. — houses, 
144. 165. 165, 167; four, 167, 
168; divided, 168-218; in 
Five Miles, 152.— Support 
of, 166, 168, 172, 173.— Dame 
and master, l(j6. — Wood 
for, 164, 166, 194.— Society, 
170-171 ; fund, 167.— Other 
fund, 171. 172-3.— Districts 
formed, 168-172 ; made cor- 
porations, 171 ; names, 172. 
— The Academy, 173. — 
Other schools, 174. 

Spoon shop, 163, 217. 

St. John's Parish, 147. 

Stone, Samuel, 39, 45. —Capt. 
killed, 20. 

Stoughlon, Ancient, 41. — 
Augustus, 203. 

Stocking, George, 46. 

Stores, sold liquors, 112. — 
Elisha Pitkin's, 144.— Old 



INDEX. 



249 



red. 112, 188.— Goodwin's, 

113. 216.— Griswokl'8, 219. 
—Old yellow, 219. 

Stove, iu meeting-house, 

130, 144.— foot, 72,' 144. 
Substitutes for drafted men, 

87, 206, 207, 211. 
Suckheiom, 78. 
Suckiaug tribe, 39. 
Sunday-schools, 142, 229.— 

services, 23.3.— travel, 233. 
Surveyors, 70, 95. 
Snuff mills, 157. 
Squinimo, wife of, 29, 34. 
Sylvia, 235. 
Symoud:*, Jolm, 95, 151. — 

land, 152.— 117. 

Tantinomo, 18, 23, 53. 
Tanneries, 49, 71, 160, 161, 

161. 
Tamer, 235, 235. 
Taquis, 28. 
Talcott, Maj., 68.— John, 154. 

—Joseph, 185. 186. 
Taylor, John, 82. 
Tarbox, Rev. I. N., 174. 
Taverns (see public houses). 
Tract, against seceders, 136, 

146. 
Train band, 48, 52, 198.— 

Training fields, 198. 
Treat, Maj. Robt., 31.— 

Henrv, 52— Matthias. 74, 

125, 214.- Stenheu, 95.— 

Sylvester, 203. — Joseph, 

223.-52, 118, 214. 
Treasurers, town, list of, 101. 
Trees, old oaks, 156, 193; 

elms, 90, 192-193; on cause- 
way, 181. 
Trespassers in Five Miles, 

151. 
Terry, Loren C, 216. 
Timber, for mills, 49, 154; 

on commons, 74. 
Tin ware, manufactory of, 

162. 
Third Soc'y of Hartford (see 

Eccl. atfairs). 
Trill, Thos., soldier. 34, 55, 

114, 151. 
Tobias, Indian, .37. 
Tobacco, Dr. Williams 

smokes, 1:36; 236-7. 

Tobacco avenue, x, 189. 

ToUaud turnpike, 185, 188. 

Thomas, Elijah, 78. 

Thornton, Tlios., 151. 

Town (see B. Ufd), farm, 
44, 102-3.— officers, 81 ; list 
of, 93-101.— history, 92-101. 
poor, 93, 102, 103, 104.— 
first meeting, 94-96: in 
Orford, 96, 153; compul- 
sory attendance, 234 ; now 
held, 9o : method of voting, 
96-7. — center, 144. — De- 
posit fund, 172-3. — Bonds, 
206.— crier, 234. 

Townsmen (selectmen), 234. 

Total abstinence, 140. 

Tryoii. Frank, 216. 

32 



Trumbull, ITon. Jona., 227. 

—Maj. Henry C, 241. 
Tudor, Samuel, 70. 
Turner, Isaac, 77.— Reuben, 

78. 
Tubbus, Lebbeu8,78.— Bena- 

jah, 78. 
Turnpikes opposed, 188 ; 

abandoned, 188. 
Tyler, Col. H. A., 200. 
Tythiugmen, 95, 131. 

Uncas, 23, 26, 29. 
Uncle Russ, 219. 
Uniform, artillery, 201. 
Uppef-quag plains, 198. 

Van Dorn's hotel. 111. 
Vehicles, early, 175, 236. 
Volunteers, equipment of, 
206; list of, 77, 82, 208-11. 
Vier, Ed., 119, 120. 
Village Improvement Soc'y, 

XV. 

Waclie, James, 43, 47.— Hen- 
ry, 43, 46. 

Wadsworth, Allen, x, 161.— 
Wm., 45. — Capt. Joseph, 
114.— T., 188.— 117, 117. 

Wade, Robert, 45. 

Walker, Rev.Mr.,142.— F.R., 
mill, xiv, 1.57. 

Waginicut, 17, 20. 

Wakeman, Sam'l, 41, 46. 

Warner, Andrew, 46. — John, 
45. 

Ward, Nath'l, 46. 

Watts, Richard, 46, 52.— Wil- 
liam, 43. 47. 

War, debt paid, 87.— of 1812, 
20:3-205.— of Rebellion, 205 
-711.— book, 206. 

Warren, 52 ; house, 89.— Wil- 
liam, 52, 55, 70, 125, 151.— 
Andrew, 73. — Thos., 125. — 
Aslibel, 162.— Austin, 162. 
—Edward, 203.— Jas., 203. 
—Nath'l, 89, 219.— Doctor, 
223.-118, 135, 192, 223. 

Warlield, Ephraim, 203. 

Washington in Hartford, 88. 

Waterhouse, A. A., 216, 220. 

Watson & Ledyard, 158. 

Watclimen, 2:33. 

Whalen, John, 218. 

Weaseapono, 23. 

Weauwoss, .33. 

Weaver's shoo, 109. 219. 

Wethersfleld, settled, 38. 

Webster, Mr.. 46.— Selah,162. 
—Norman, ' 162, 170, 218, 
219.— Ezekiel, 168. 

Webb, Richard, 45. — James, 
78. 

Wells, Mr., 46.— Samuel, 52, 
74, 78, 165, 166, 186, 223.— 
Thos., .52, 54.— Col. Jona., 
85, 117, 200, 223.— Capt. 
John, 95, 95. — Capt. Sam- 
uel, 152, 223.— Wm., 152.— 
Jona. T., 174.— 118.— Tav- 
ern, 109, 173, 219. 

West Hartford, deed of, 40. 

Westwood, Wm., 45. 



Westover, Jane, 59. 

West India trade, 204, 215. 

Wesley, Wm., 46. 

Willow Brook , 161, 214.— Dis- 
trict, xiv (see 2d South). 

Willys, Mr., :«, 46, 69, 152.— 
Samuel, 40, 128, 225.— Col. 
Samuel, 86.— Thos., 83. 

Williams, Sergt. Wm., 35, 72, 
73.— William, 44, 57, 59, 70, 
150, 152, 233.— Timothy, 52, 
151, 186.^Jaue, .57. — John, 
73.— Gabriel, 73. 151.— Gab- 
riel, Jr., 151.— Joshua, 83, 
218. — Jacob, 83, 151, 188, 
218.— Dan'l, 83, 151.— Mat- 
thew, 108. — Rev. Stephen, 
127.— Rev. Eliphalot, 1:34- 
1:39 ; ancestry, 139; 192. 213, 
215, 227,2:33, 2:34.— William, 
Jr., 1.51.— George A., 168.— 
Jonah, 185, 218.— Samuel, 
199.— Horace, 223.-35, 52, 
214.— Israel, 218. 

William Street, 189. 

Wilcox, John, 43, 47.— Giles, 
78. 

Wiley, Sylvester, 199. 

Wilierton. Gregory, 47. 

Wing, house, 220. 

Wiuslow, 223.— Gov'uor, 20. 

Windsor, 17. 20, 38 ; line, 70. 

Winthrop, John, 40. 

Witch stories, 2:36, 240. 

Witchcraft, case of, 238-9. 

Whiting, Mr., 46.— Col. John, 
152. 

White, Jno., 46.— Capt. Lem- 
uel, 85, 220. 235. 

Whitmarsh, Samuel, 159. 

Whipping post, 76, 232.— 
Public, 108, 108, 2:32. 

Wright, Miles, 78.— Moses, 
78.— Theodore L., 173. 

Wolcott, Wm., 186.— Simon, 
225,226.— Henry.225 —Gov- 
ernor, 225.— Oliver, 225.— 
Oliver, Jr., 225. 

Wolves, bounty, 234. 

Wood, Obadiah, .34, 56, 114, 
151.--John, 186. 

Wood, for minister, 127, 134, 
1.35.— For scliools, 164, 166, 
194. 

Woodbridge, Deodat, .37, 103. 
—Rev. Samuel, 26, 73, 126 
-128, 165; ancestry, 128.— 
Samuel, 82. — Kussell, Jr., 
84.— Russell, 167, 199.— Al- 
fred, 199.— Widow Anna, 
236.— Tavern, 109, 219; in 
Manchester, 112. — Avenue, 
190. 

Woodford, Thos., 45. 

Woodruff, Beuj., 84.— Eras- 
tus, 173. 

Woolen mill, 160. 

Work-house, 102-103. 

Wyles, John, 95. 

Yates, Rev. Andrew, 1:39-40. 
Young, Mathew, 59. 
York, Negro, 103. 



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